Asari Effect
by CheshireTwilight
Summary: I naively hoped someday to learn of the existence of alien life in the Universe. Now that I was one, all I wanted to do was go back to the ways things were. As I would experience time and again, the Universe did not give a damn how I felt. Self Insert SI / OC Asari.
1. Arc 1: Prologue 1

**Author's Note:** A lot of the Mass Effect Fanfiction (especially the Self-Insert Variety) tends to follows the canon story almost to the letter, and after reading 1 or 2 they get very same-y. I decided to spice things up with this fic by having the character become an different species entirely and starting ~200 years before Canon even begins.

What this fic is not, is the diary of an OP OC who can enact plans hundreds of years ahead of time and create the "perfect" strategy to unite everyone and save the Universe single-handedly. Canon will go off the rails, plans will fail, knowledge of obscure facts from the games will be forgotten and so the MC will not be able to just "scoop up" Prothean tech and build the crucible "from memory".

However, if the idea of starting on Illium in ~2000CE and exploring the backstories and origins of the major players such as Wrex / The Shadow Broker / Cerberus / Aria etc. is interesting to you, then this might be the fic for you. Although it starts a little slow, I will try keeping the pace relatively quick.

With that disclaimer out of the way, I hope you enjoy.

— AE —

 **Youth Academy 3, Nos Astra Slum District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 04-04-2559 GS**

 _Perspective - Student A11344829 of Academy 3 - Nyxeris - Asari Orphan - 54 years old_

Nyxeris listened intently to her VI Instructor as it taught them Athame Mythology. The other orphans in her class did not have the same laser-focus as she had — most of them could ignore the harsh realities of their situation better than she could — but they all payed attention.

Like her fellow orphans, Nyxeris knew that how well she performed here could mean the difference between life and death. If she graduated at the top of her class, she could get a 200 year work contract with Armali Council developing high-end Omni-Tools. She would be stuck working 14 hour days the entire time without being able to change positions in the company, but she would be out of the dirty slums and living a happy, comfortable life on a 500 credit/hour wage.

However, Illium might boast of a "0% crime rate", but it was anything but a happy life for the bottom 10% of society. If she did poorly, she would probably end up like the "Escorts" back by the derelict warehouses. Getting 40 credits "a session" and spending it all on drugs, they didn't live to see Matron.

Asari biology might mean it takes her twice as long for her brain to fully develop, but the streets don't differentiate between species or ages. She had grown up fast living in the Slum District of Nos Astra.

"Terith," the VI Instructor stated in its stiff robotic voice. "It appears that your attention has lapsed. Can you explain the three main Aspects of the Athame religion and what they are known for?"

Terith was the tiny Asari seated next to her. Her skin was a blueish-teal as opposed to Nyxeris' deep blueish-purple — not that her looks concerned Nyxeris at all. Coming in at only just over 4 feet, the tiny Asari just looked like any other child from preschool. Being the youngest Asari in the class by far at only 20 years of age, Terith grated on Nyxeris' nerves immensely. The Academy was the equivalent to "High School" for other races, and Terith did not fit.

The young Asari stared at the ceiling and did not even look at the instructor when she answered.

"Sure, Ah can do that for ya. The three Aspects are: Athame, Janiri and Lucen; who're the namesakes of the planets in Parnitha, the Thessian home system. Athame's the matriarch of the whole thing and the goddess of prophecy and fate. Janiri's the goddess of seasons, storms, and agriculture. Lucen's the servant who asked Athame for pottery, forging, and biotics then spread it to the Asari. Lucen's also the Betrayer, who was refused the gift of prophecy from Athame and so attempted to steal it from Athame's holy silver jars and was punished for it."

"Those are the correct answers as well as insightful additional context! Good job, Terith!" the VI replied. It followed its response with what would be a warm smile had it not been clearly artificial. Its expression then suddenly turned neutral before it continued the lecture. It would not ask another question of Terith for another 5 minutes or so. Nyxeris and the rest of the class were now _intimately_ familiar with how the VI's programming handled "genius" students which didn't pay attention in class.

' _Why by the goddess is that little brat so damn good at this?!'_ she thought as she angrily clenched her fists. ' _She doesn't pay attention, she is over thirty years younger than me yet she gets perfect on everything!'_

"Can ya stop lookin' at me? It's creepin' me out," Terith whispered in her direction.

Nyxeris blushed; she did not even know she was glaring. Rather than give an angry retort in the middle of class and get in trouble, she turned away from her "rival". She found herself calming down as she remembered all the things the baby Asari was bad at.

' _Well her language skills are awful and everyone hates her as much as I do so she's certainly not as perfect as she thinks she is. I've never even_ _ **heard**_ _of an Asari being a loner until that freak.'_

In Nyxeris' view, Terith did nothing worthwhile. She did not try to make connections with the other Asari, she didn't care about gossiping with friends or even making friends at all. It did not even seem Terith enjoyed anything — even school — despite how good at it she was. The girl's entire routine revolved around waking up, doing weird training exercises around the Orphanage, going to class at the Academy, reading things on her Omni-Tool and then going back to the Orphanage to sleep. Throughout it all, she always had the same indifferent expression on her face. Even their VI instructor had more emotion.

' _I tried my best to make friends or at least understand her, but it's just not possible!'_ While she could consider herself a model student that could make friends with anyone and vowed to make the necessary 'connections' which would get her far in life, the freaky child 'prodigy' would not be one of them.

' _Still… there were ways she could still be of use. If I-'_

"Nyxeris," the VI Instructor stated in its stiff robotic voice, breaking her out of her thoughts. "It appears that your attention has lapsed. Can you answer this question?"

' _Damnit.'_

— AE —

Soon enough, class ended and they were let out into the yard outside of the Academy. Every square inch of Illium looked like the Asari Homeworld of Thessia, even the slums. Despite being one of the poorest sections on the planet, the lush wildlife was cultivated by a fleet of drones and VI caretakers. The building itself fitted seamlessly into the smooth lines of glass, plastic composite and metal that made up the majority of Illium architecture. The Illium corporate interests allowed a slum to exist out of necessity, but that did not mean it had to be a glaring eyesore in the city skyline.

The Academy would not release the students for another half-hour and so. This time was designed to "force" the students — especially the non-orphan ones — to form strong bonds with their other classmates; a time which ensured the Asari ways of cooperation and compromise would be instilled in every student. Something entirely unnecessary to any competent Asari in Nyxeris' opinion.

She had formed a tight-knit clique that encompassed most of her class decades ago and now held hegemony over the entire Academy's social sphere even in the upper-grades. She was, by far, the most popular student at the Academy, despite — or perhaps _because_ — she was an orphan. She had little to lose and everything to gain by dedicating her life to the one part of her life that cost nothing: spending time with others and building connections.

' _Of course, our own local freak refuses to use this time properly.'_

Nyxeris sneered as she thought that, looking at the lone Asari sitting on the ground next to one of the far walls. Like always, he was reading something on her Omni Tool rather than do anything that would put her ahead in life.

Her closest three friends stood with her and looked in the direction Nyxeris glared. Reading her mood, the group fell back onto a typical conversation.

"Looks like The Freak is off by herself again."

"She doesn't even _try_ to fit in. Do you see what she's _wearing_?!"

"By the goddess, you're right. _Overalls?!_ At the least she could wear a one-piece batar-suit if she wanted to look 'blue-collar'."

"Not to mention I don't think I've ever seen her wear makeup… and she needs it, with those facial markings. I genuinely feel sorry for her. At least all of our facial markings blend."

"Her… unfortunate speech impediment doesn't do her well either. The adults seem to think it's cute, but she won't have very many career options if she doesn't get rid of it."

Nyxeris gestured them to be silent.

"Enough. Those are all just the superficial problems. If it was just that, we would be able to correct her problems the Asari way: with understanding and kindness. Unfortunately, it is her selfishness and arrogance that is the core of all those issues. That is why we have to keep trying to correct those parts of her."

"I don't think I could be as kind as you Nyx."

"Yeah, I honestly didn't know it was possible to hate someone as much as I hate Terith but if you really think she can change…"

"Nyx is so cool."

' _Of course, they're right. I know my "corrections" won't work, but Terith is such an easy target. The more I try to fix her the more she pushes back and the better I look in the process.'_

The four girls made their way to their youngest Asari peer.

"What are you doing over here, Terith. Could we join?" Nyxeris inquired.

"No," Terith replied. It seemed even _she_ realized how little tact that had and added, "Ah don't think none of ya even know an FBA Coupling from a CBT Coupling… uh, no offense. Ah doubt any of ya have an interest in ship design and reading ain't exactly a "group activity" if ya know what Ah mean."

"N-no offense taken…" Nyxeris forced out between grinding teeth. ' _She could stand to sound less like an_ _ **ass**_ _.'_

Nyxeris calmed down and got her composure back.

"Anyway, my friends and I have come here to — once again — ask you to join us in our group activities. As a fellow Asari, we did not think this needed to be spelled-out quite so _explicitly_ but you are the _only one here_ who is by herself. You are not going to get anywhere in life if you don't begin to expand your connections right now."

Terith had the _gall_ to roll her eyes at her; like she _wasn't_ doing her a favor just now. "Ah appreciate it — honestly Ah do — but it ain't needed. Ah do perfectly well on my own. Ah'll worry about "expandin' my connections" when Ah get older and have to worry about that sorta thing."

' _That_ _ **bitch**_ _! How_ _ **dare**_ _she look down on me like that! She must honestly think my life is a joke. She honestly thinks she can just "make connections" later, like it's something easy to do? That creating a network of allies in this dog-eat-dog city is something easy?'_

Nyxeris glared at the seated Asari and gestured aggressively towards the Academy Entrance.

"If you don't have people that can back you up, you're going to die out there. This isn't a _game_ Terith! I'm giving you one last chance! If you don't start making friends, things will only end badly for you!"

Terith sighed and turned off her Omni Tool. "Look, Ah appreciate that ya care enough about me to work yourself up like this, but Ah don't want friends right now. So if ya could leave me be, Ah'd appreciate it."

It was the last straw. For her to spell everything out so clearly and have her good will turned down...

"Enough is enough! I've tried being your friend, I've tried riling you up, I've even tried threats." She turned to her friends who all nodded along with her. "You've all seen me work hard for this _freak_. Well, you just burned this bridge."

Before the smaller Asari could react, she walked up to her and kicked her hard in the gut. Her friends gasped, but Nyxeris ignored them. With Terith already sitting on the ground, the kick was made all the more worse; coming out more like a curb-stomp. The tiny Asari doubled-over with a cry before she began dry-heaving into the ground.

"Don't hate me for showing you how vulnerable you are without friends. If logic doesn't work, even _I_ will be forced to use violence to show you the Asari Way."

She turned from her prone enemy and addressed her friends. "Tell everyone that no one is to make friends with her until she apologizes to me first. I did not want to get physical, but this is the only way she'll learn."

Her friends looked hesitant, but they all reluctantly nodded and began to disseminate the information. She smiled.

' _If she can't be useful as an ally, then she will be useful as my enemy. With all my attempts, no one will be able to doubt my intentions, yet everyone will see the lengths I'm willing to go to succeed._ _ **No one**_ _undercuts my methods and authority. I will be successful by any means necessary.'_

When the Academy finally was dismissed a few minutes later, Terith was nowhere to be seen.

That suited Nyxeris just fine.

— AE —

 **Codex Entry - Asari Biological Development**

 _Transcript from Thessian Galactic Press - Asari Biology: Fact and Fiction_

There has been considerable misinformation circulating on the exact capabilities of Asari at their various stages of development. While the three main ones: Maiden, Matron, and Matriarch, are common knowledge to most, many believe that this is an full and accurate depiction of Asari development. This is a mistake.

As many may know, the Maiden stage only begins at approximately 100 years of age. If that is the case, it is easy to question why Maidens seem so inexperienced at this age? After all, this "young" age encompasses the entire lives of other, shorter-lived species. If all Salarians or a Turians were to only accomplish what a typical Asari has in the first 100 years of their lives, their civilizations would have never even invented the wheel yet alone space travel. Therefore, to many people — and perhaps even for some readers — it is easy to conclude that Asari are simply "slow" or "inept". That the average Asari is intellectually inferior or simply lazy; that they squander their long lives through drug-fueled binges and casual sex.

This author would like to dismiss these claims with the true, scientific, facts.

Asari are not Krogan; their development is not quick. The points below are extracted directly from the latest information[1] from the _Thessian Institute of Biological Science_ on the average Asari lifecycle:

 **Infancy** (0 - 15): Bodily Control, Basic Cognitive Development (Object Permanence etc.)

 **Childhood** (15 - 30): Language skills, Fine Motor skills, Preoperational, Egocentrism

 **Pre-Maiden** (30 - 60): Basic Abstract Thought, Socialization, Self-Identity, morality, infatuation

 **Maiden** (60 - 250): Risk-Taking, Inhibition, Sexual Promiscuity, Intense Curiosity

 **Pre-Matron** (250 - 350): Self-Actualization, Full Cognitive Growth, Metacognition

 **Matron** (350 - 650): Self-Sufficiency, Sexual Maturity, Motherly Aspirations

 **Pre-Matriarch** (650 - 1200): Career Satisfaction, Peak Biotic Potential, Peak Neurological Growth

 **Matriarch** (1200+): Biotic Actualization, Leadership Aspirations, Full Emotional Control

As the above developmental stages imply, there are limits to the skills and understanding an Asari can attain at any given stage of her life. These stages are similar to other species but instead occur over a longer span of time[2]. An Asari Infant cannot grasp the sciences just as an Asari Maiden cannot grasp the "bigger picture" or a Matron compete with a Matriarch in biotic power.

This is not a failing on the individual, but a largely biological adaptation developed through the natural evolutionary pressures on the Asari Homeworld. Without Maiden "naivety", the Asari would be slow to take action and fail to perform the great feats of heroics and self-sacrifice needed for the fledgling Asari species to survive. Without their development into Matrons to settle down, the next generation would become increasingly more aggressive. This was the evolutionary path which lead to the Krogan: longer life and quick maturity at the expense of the peace and stability of a more slowly-changing species. Without the Matriarch, society would have no clear path to follow and Asari society may have never developed at all, instead being content to live insulated and comfortable lives without purpose.[3]

Likewise, the long growth periods in the pre-Maiden stages are biological and evolutionary necessities to safely and effectively absorb the Element Zero which allow "biotics".[4] This adaptation greatly increased Asari survivability and lead to a Golden Age of biological development including the ability to walk on land, an increased brain capacity and much longer lifespan. While modern cybernetic "wetware" or "Biotic Amplifiers" allows safe adaptation of biotics to occur more quickly in other species, the natural evolutionary process which lead to the Matriarch is still the peak of biotic potential.[5]

In conclusion, while it might be easy to point to a 100 year old maiden as proof of Asari mental inferiority or resource-waste, remember that their adulthood is only beginning. Give that maiden a mere 50 years and she can become a pinnacle member of her chosen field just as any other race[6] and as many as 60% of 300 year old Matron specialists rival the top 0.01% of any other species in their chosen fields.[7] While the investment is large and the progress is slow, an investment in a Maiden is one worth making.

[1] T. T'Goni _et al._ , "Asari Developmental Lifecycle," _Thessian Journal of Medicine,_ vol. D9418-44, pp. 4482, 2559 GS.

[2] M. Yaris, "Cognitive Development - A Comparison of the Council Species," _Thessian Institute of Cognitive Science_ , Public Extranet Lecture, ver. 2.2.8, 2543 GS.

[3] S. Nuwari _et al.,_ "The Purpose of Matriarchs," _Asari Traditions and why they have them_ , pp. 15-25, 2511 GS.

[4] D. Iallis, "Biotics," _Asari Biology: Element Zero and the Evolutionary Process_ , pp. 8-12, 874 GS.

[5] F. B'Sala, "Biotics - A Comparison of the Council Species," _Thessian Institute of Biology_ , Public Extranet Lecture, ver. 1.4.1, 2493 GS.

[6] N. Dantius, "Early Life," _Biography of the Youngest Asari Diplomat_ , 03-2516 GS

[7] C. Korlack, "Why Asari dominate the fields of Math and Science," _Vol Protectorate: Statistics on Foreign Markets,_ Report D _,_ vol. 4022, no. 18, pp. 419-424, 2534 GS.


	2. Arc 1: Prologue 2

**Commercial Space Port, Nos Astra Wards District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 04-04-2559 GS**  
 _Perspective - Asari Officer on Security Detail - Isara T'Yari - Port Authority Police Lieutenant - 294 years old_

The Commercial Sections of the Nos Astra Wards were shady, there could be no question of that. Despite their sleek glass and metal exteriors, the neon lights and lush vegetation, the wards were places where questionable deals were made.

While the heavy Illium police presence and corporate influence ensured that no gangs could possibly keep a foothold on Illium, the corruption at every level of government ensured that if you wanted something — whether it was information, drugs, weapons or other contraband from the Terminus Systems — one needed to only have a connection which could payoff the police and the deal could be made in back-alleys like these.

In some ways, Illium could be considered a planet-sized neutral territory for the Terminus. It was rumored that even famous Terminus Warlords would travel in-person thousands of lightyears just to make trades here. Because of the steep inefficiencies in the Illium bureaucracy, a malicious trading partner would need _days_ to bribe the police to look the other way and bring enough firepower to control a trade through force. By then, the other side would be tipped off and long gone. Ironically, the sheer amount of corruption on-planet kept criminals _more_ honest in their dealings.

To be a police lieutenant on Illium: one had to not only see those realities, but actively try to sustain and work towards maintaining the delicate balance; to see it as the best of a bad situation beyond anyone's control. The Terminus was pure chaos and Council Space was pure order. To be the bridge which furthered Asari and Council interests between the two extremes, she had to — as her corporate training had taught her — "be an ambitious leader which could bend 'unprofitable values' for the greater good."

One day, the Asari would expand its sphere of influence deeper and deeper into the Terminus, converting more planets into transitionary corporate worlds such as Illium. Finally, those planets would then join Council Space. When that time finally arrived, the piracy and criminality in the sector would become unprofitable under vigilant Asari watch. Criminal enterprise would then have finally collapsed under the Asari corporate leviathan. It was the Asari Way to work long-term for the creation of an ideal Galactic-Order and so it was only an Asari world — and an Asari such as Isara herself — which could take on the risks and reap the rewards in the interim.

As Isara approached the Port Authority Office, she was saluted by Astus Iventus, one of her Turian subordinates.

"Evening, sir. Am I to assume you're here to perform a Security Check?"

Isara gave a brief salute back. "Of course."

Astus' salute fell and the turian smirked. "Then it would be coincidence that you perform this inspection at the same time every week and all other stations are only given monthly inspections."

"That would also be correct. Perhaps I find your security station in need of more frequent checks, maybe I might even _find_ something in one of these checks that could cause you problems. What else could you be insinuating, Astus?"

Astus put up his hands in mock surrender. "Nothing, nothing! That it also happens to coincide with a certain young Asari's weekly visit is pure happenstance, of course."

"And that line of thought will, of course, remain off any reports if you want to keep your mandibles _attached_ to your face."

She did not bother to hear his reply before entering the small Port Authorization Office. He hit the nail on the head after all and giving a response would only encourage him further.

As she entered, she saw the two Salarian clerks work fast and efficiently to accommodate processing the arrival of "flagged packages" for a dozen customers waiting in line. These packages were things that — while not explicitly illegal — had a limited purpose which required going through the bureaucracy for approval before they would be released to the intended recipient. Things such as weapons, drugs, exotic foods or sophisticated technologies which could cause trouble if they found their way into the wrong hands. Most companies had connections with the corporate elite in charge of the bureaucracy to avoid their packages being flagged, but most individuals and smaller companies were forced to go through an approval process.

"Oh, oh, Lieutenant Isara! Over here!" A voice called out to her.

She turned to look down the line of Asari, Turians, Salarians and even one Volus to find a small blueish-teal Asari child wave her down. Upon seeing her small form, the Lieutenant smiled and approached.

"Miss Terith, it is good to see you again."

Terith's smile beamed in reply. "Ah'm glad to see ya too! When you're here, everything goes a _lot_ faster!"

Isara's maternal instincts internally squeal in delight. ' _Oh that cute accent! And those little chubby cheeks! If it wasn't for my job, I want to have a child just like that!'_

While she did not show any outward sign of her inner conflict on her face, she nonetheless couldn't help doing something. She reached out and gave the side of Terith's face a quick squeeze.

"Ow! Stooooop!"

As the little girl looked up at her with an adorable pout, the motherly officer could not help but smirk.

"Sorry about that Terith. How about in exchange, I take a look at your shipping receipt and see if I can't pre-approve the security validation."

The pout immediately turned to a bright grin in response and practically threw the shipping receipt at her. ' _That manipulative little devil…'_

The Lieutenant humored the child and looked through the receipt. As she expected, it was the same as it always was.

' _A requisition order by Tasi Food Co. for 2,100 portions of "Dextro Nutrient Paste". I suppose that's better than saying "Quarian Gruel". It's all the suit rats eat, apparently. Must be that the company takes on the bureaucratic hassle of storing the food for a modest price and then sells it to corporations with Quarian work contractors working off debts. After all, there aren't any Quarians on-planet with the citizen rights needed to buy the stuff themselves.'_

She used her Omni Tool. "Well, it looks good to go except for the corporate background check. That should save an hour at reception."

"Thanks! You're the best police-person ever!"

Terith gave her a hug which the officer returned briefly before separating. Isara looked around the room and glared at any of the customers which dared giver her so much as a glance, daring them to speak up about what they just saw. Of course, no one did.

Her "security check" complete, she turned back to walk out the door. Just as she reached the exit, she briefly worried that she might be making a mistake putting her signature on the receipt.

' _It's obvious they are using an Orphan as a way of saving their company both time and money. She likely isn't paid much to ferry the package along, and for such an inconsequential weekly chore, no employee would do the job for anything less than full pay; something no sane corporation would provide if they could avoid it. It's a common sight and it keeps the kids busy. However, if I were to inquire with the company further, my little angel might not return-'_

Officer Astus' voice broke her out of her thoughts. "Honestly, I don't know why you don't just visit her orphanage if you want to see her this much."

Isara punched the turian square in the gut, causing him to groan and clutch his stomach, but otherwise he looked unfazed by the attack. His armor would absorb most of the blow, but it would remind him that he was an "accidental biotic discharge" away from a hospital stay if he didn't shut up.

' _No, this is fine. These little visits are enough — more than enough. I' not ready to be a Matron quite yet but, well… if things could stay the same for another few decades, I might even consider adopting the little tramp.'_

But as she opened her Omni-Tool to check for messages she saw an unread e-mail from the Anti-Crime division. She sighed.

Isara knew things would be changing whether she wanted them to or not.

— AE —

 **Commercial District Sewers, Nos Astra Slum District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 04-04-2559 GS**  
 _Perspective - Illegal Quarian Migrant - Teema'Koris vas Sholat - Retired Migrant Fleet Marine - 72 years old_

Teema'Koris lied down on his bed. He was a lot older now and while still slept only 4 hours like he did in the Marines, his body could no longer keep up with his mind. While his body rested, he had much time to think on things, something he did not desire, but it was also something he could not avoid. Before he went to sleep, he stayed up, thinking of his old missions, of his friends long gone… good memories were harder to remember than the bad. After he woke up, however, his thoughts turned to the present.

He had thought he had seen it all. His Pilgrimage to Tuchanka, battles with the Geth, Batarian slavers, and he was even part of a diplomatic mission to the citadel. Never in all that time had a single non-Quarian sapient ever willingly helped another Quarian. Mercenaries were hired, temporary alliances of self-interest were created and burned, but never had anyone ever given aid without clearly defined expectations of compensation.

' _Until that Asari child… or at least that's what it appears on the surface. She appeared two years ago when my advance "scout" neglected his duty and instead fished a dumpster for scraps. When he came to the settlement to drop off his "finds", the child had followed him back._

' _My first thought when I heard it was obvious: she must have seen him months ago and waited for a moment of weakness then followed him back — possibly with a cloaking device. Of course the truth was more simple than that. My advance scout was just an idiot. We've put up a lot more cameras since then.'_

He sat up in his bed. ' _She will be here soon.'_

His body was slow in getting out of his bed and little faster in getting to his secret room down the hall of his little hovel. Inside was his "chief engineer": a child still on his Pilgrimage. Due to his foolish decision to perform it on Illium, he still has yet to return anything of value to the fleet despite already being 8 years away and 24 years of age. It was a fate as unfortunate as his name — Kelor'naa nar Qwib Qwib — although he could hardly be held accountable for being born on the wrong ship.

Kelor'naa turned as he heard Teema enter the room. "I see you're already up Captain. I was expecting you to-"

"Nothing; you can expect nothing from me yet, kid. I may be old but I'm still a soldier and I'm still alive. Its 200 years too early for you to start anticipating my actions. That being said, there should be _one_ thing you can imagine I'll ask right now. Right Qwib?"

"Don't call me-!" He let out a groan. "Never mind. Anyway, yes. Terith is here on time. she's taking the usual route."

"I want to review the recording. I will see for myself if there _really_ are no changes."

"Sure… but, I don't understand your, um, _paranoia_. She's not exactly dangerous. She's 4 feet tall and even younger than me; which for an Asari is like a _baby_. She's been helping us for almost 2 years now getting our food shipments through the Port Authority. How could she do that this whole time only to betray us? _Why?_ "

"There are a few reasons I can think of. Perhaps she's a plant: tasked to gather intel to see how much contact we have with other illegal Quarians on Illium. Maybe she's a spy waiting for us to make a major play. She might inform her superiors the moment she catches word and strike us down. Regardless of what her true motives are, I refuse to believe they are honest."

The engineer gestured angrily at him for that. "You're wrong! Illium Law states that Quarians can't even _interact_ with the bureaucracy. Before Terith, we had to sneak into the Port Authority storage and _steal_ the food. Before she came along we were barely staving off arrest and complete exposure just to eat! She should be helping us with some of our other plans; she has gained enough of our trust for that! Her tasks have already proven she's capable of infiltration! If we give her more responsibility-"

Teema slammed a table and pointed a finger at the Engineer.

"Which is a good reason why _you_ are not in charge! Just _one_ leak, and the 108 Quarians under my protection could be arrested, killed and forced into _Slavery!_ _There is too much risk_ and that's all we will say about that. It is bad enough that she found our underground sanctuary, but the leak ends there! If I'm being honest, had the risk of her death being discovered and tracked back to us not been as high, I might have had her killed for our safety by now."

The engineer bit back a retort and stared at the screen. With the conversation finished, Teema did the same and watched as the screens in the room fed back information from cameras installed in the alleyways of the Illium Wards' Commercials Section. Terith could be seen making her way down the narrow alleys and down a long set of stairs before finally standing in front of a metal door. Teema could imagine above the door there was a sign: "Illium Sewer Access J-1482". With only easily hackable maintenance drones servicing the sewer system beneath Illium, it served as the perfect hiding place for a secret Quarian enclave.

The young Asari called out. "Hey, it's me: Terith. Can you open the door?"

Kelor looked to the old Marine who nodded his assent. The Engineer pressed a button which remotely-deactivated the security measures around the door. They were recent additions now that the risk of discovery had greatly increased.

"Thanks! I'll be there in a minute," the girl again called out to no one in particular. Without waiting for an answer, she opened the door and made her way into the Illium sewer accessway.

The two Quarians watched in silence as the Asari kept a slow and steady pace on a concrete path that formed the shore of a foul-smelling river. When she had first arrived, she barely made it to their hidden Quarian settlement with how awful the smell was. It was why now she wore nose-plugs. The Quarians that lived there could turn of their smell receptors in their suits and so were immune to the foul stench.

She walked in silence for a number of minutes before she reached her destination: a ghetto of ramshackle hovels made from what appeared to be scrap metal welded together. It did not look very nice, but the settlement had running water and electricity. So long as they performed regular maintenance on their enviro-suits, the ghetto was "livable".

As Terith arrived, Quarians wearing drab monochromatic suits came out of the woodwork all around her. Their masked faces glowed in the shadows of the makeshift ghetto and they walked towards her with a sedate pace. As Teema watched them on his screen, he could not help but think they were a people without hope. It only reminded him of his duty to get them off of Illium at any cost.

There was a loud banging on the front door of his hovel. Pretending that Teema hadn't just been watching the Asari's every move, he called out from the depths of his ramshackle habitat.

"Is that you Terith?!"

"Yeah it's me old man, get your decrepit butt out of here!"

" _Keelah, keelah,_ I'm coming."

He walked to the metal door of his welded-together shack. As he opened it, he let the Asari take in his appearance. Teema wore his red enviro-suit uniform of the Migrant Fleet Marines rather than the greys, purples and blues of the other civilians. It made him stick out. He hoped it would ensure that if an attack ever occurred, he would become the primary target, allowing the others a better chance to flee.

"So… were you followed?" Teema asked the small Asari child in front of him. Of course he knew she wasn't, but if she was honest in her intentions, it would not hurt to remind Terith to be watchful; not that she knew what to watch for.

"No, I wasn't followed," the child responded with a roll of her eyes. "I'm not dumb, old man. Besides, I know you're too paranoid not to already know about that anyway."

It was these observations that kept the retired Marine on edge. She was clearly a child, and yet she clearly wasn't. It was the paradox of being a bad enough spy to let those things slip yet good enough for them to slip in the first place. Still, he had come to rely on her. It was a risky proposition, but it accelerated his plans significantly. Without his people risking arrest getting their food and requiring the entire enclave to move positions every month to avoid detection, far more things could get done.

Terith sat her large backpack down and opened it to reveal what appeared to be over a hundred thick tubes of toothpaste. The inconspicuous packages contained a refined edible paste shipped to Illium from the Migrant Fleet through shell corporations to avoid detection. Despite the relatively small size of the packages, it contained enough food to last the entire ghetto of 108 Quarians a whole week if rationed properly.

Without a word, the other Quarians lined up in rows and the tubes were distributed out to them. As each of them passed the Asari, they each muttered a small "Keelah Sel'ai". Occasionally, one of them would be bold enough to shake her hand or give her a pat on the back as well. Teema could only sigh at how despondent they looked and sounded. That they relied on a child to keep them alive was pathetic.

Nevertheless, when the packages were delivered, Teema extended his three-fingered hand in thanks as well.

"Good work again, princess."

Terith scowled at the nickname — which was why he said it — and reluctantly shook the offered hand.

"Ya guys are the ones who made the plan and your Migrant Fleet is the one supplying the food. Ah just pick it up. You survived without me before."

Teema shook his head.

"But without you, _we_ would be the ones risking our lives to bring it here. It may not seem much to you, but you are doing us an enormous service with this… speaking of which, I believe that I have my end of the bargain to fulfill…"

— AE —

 **2 Hours Later**

*Bang* *Bang-Bang-Bang-Bang*

Teema watched intently like a hawk as the Asari child fired the pistol into the simple metal targets he had set up in his backyard. As her stance wavered, he subtly tapped and adjusted her body back into the ideal firing pose. Terith clearly struggled with the unwieldy weapon. While it could be said that the Elkoss Combine "Bayonet" Pistol she used was the worst mass accelerator pistol ever made, it was undeniably an effective training weapon.

The workmanship of the weapon was so poor that even with regular maintenance every shot and even minor changes in humidity and temperature would cause "quirks" to appear. One day, the weapon would require a minor adjustment to the left. Other times, a shot would have to be "lead" more onto the target. The speed in which one adjusted to these challenges would greatly determine the final score.

Many "modern" militaries would say such training was a waste of time, Quarians could not always afford to use the most finely crafted tools. The Migrant Fleet kept its weapons well maintained and they would all be of higher quality than the Bayonet, but when if he picked up a Quarian weapon, it was often difficult to tell precisely how it would perform. Knowing how to place the first few shots of an unknown weapon was the difference between life and death for him on a number of occasions.

It was also much heavier than other pistols and the barrel rattled slightly when it moved and as with all mass-accelerator weapons it had no "kickback" when fired. Together this meant that the weapons accuracy was strictly determined by how long and how steady the pistol was held: a vital skill when firing at long distance with rifles. It was a weapon which rewarded good habits and punished bad ones. What's more, the gun had been the same one _he_ used to train with back in the Migrant Fleet Marine Academy. Its age only "improved" the weapon's "features".

 ***Beep* 210 Points - New High Score! *Beep***

Teema's Omni-Tool chimed with the results fed to it by cameras he had instructed Kelor set up around the training yard. The Asari might have needed it more than he did, but even a Marine of 50 years needed to keep sharp. Being the only trained soldier, he could not afford to have an inadequate shooting range.

"Far from a perfect 1000, but you are making good progress so far, princess. Good job. You keep this up and you'll be shooting like a Marine in no time."

He wasn't paying lip-service either. For a Quarian, the results were adequate… perhaps a little below expectation, but for an Asari — a child at that — they were incredible. It was not just her weapons training either. She absorbed orbital mechanics, ship design, information technology and anything else he could teach like a sponge and he could tell she did research in her own time as well.

He was surprised how detailed her knowledge of the fundamental sciences and maths were; most Quarians were taught to be specialists and so were never taught the more esoteric parts of science if it wasn't necessary. While she was not as quick to remember things as a Quarian, she made up for it with creativity and out-of-the-box thinking he would expect more of a Salarian than the usually conservative-minded Asari.

"Let me go again!" Terith cheered. "Ah know Ah can do better this time!"

It was times like this that the Quarian Veteren was reminded the Asari before him was still a child by Asari standards and not an adult as he usually treated her. Terith's manner of speaking was unrefined but her morals and sense of responsibility were like that of an adult.

It was what made the retired Marine unable to trust her.

No matter what methods he used: appeals to emotion, appeals to reason, or even subtle interrogation over tea; he could never convince himself the Asari was on his side. In the end, he merely "bought" her loyalty by spending time with her and improving her meager skills. He hoped that, eventually, he could win her over completely and then he would have a useful asset, but until then, he kept by the philosophy of "keep your friends close and your enemies closer." This way, if she ever slipped in her ruse, he would catch her.

"I think that's enough for today. The sun's already setting and I know you have your Academy classes tomorrow."

Her suddenly deflated expression seemed much worse than usual. It must have been a bad day for her at the Academy. She told him of her lack of friends and the thought caused Teema to sigh. Even though he was not convinced she was completely honest with him, what little she told him did hold up when he investigated and it painted a pretty bleak picture.

"Alright… if you don't want to leave just yet you can come inside and I'll make you some of that fancy tea you like."

"Its Thessian Green, and it ain't 'fancy' by any stretch of the imagination."

Well she wasn't wrong. He bought a box of the stuff for 2 credits, but she seemed to enjoy it so it was a small price to pay if it bought any amount of loyalty. He imagined that her joy in partaking was at least partially in indulging a "mature" drink. She definitely seemed to be in a rush to grow up and he doubted that an Orphanage full of hyperactive children would willingly serve stimulants to their charges.

"Yeah, yeah whatever you say. You want me to make some or not, _princess_."

The Asari didn't say yes, but she did walk into Teema's scrapyard-designed "estate" all the same and sat on his couch like she owned the place. Teema took that as confirmation and went about boiling the tea. He was by no means an expert, but she never complained.

"While you enthusiasm and personality can be very irritating at times-"

"Hey!"

"-I insist that I must do more than what we've been doing for you so far. A little target practice in the back of my house and some tips on ship maintenance are hardly worth you risking your life to feed my people."

Although he enjoyed their time together, and appreciated the assistance she gave, he also knew it drove her away from the Orphanage and other Asari. He just could not understand why she worked so hard for his people when she neglected her own so much. It was yet another thing that had him suspect her _loyalty_ to the Quarian cause. He regularly asked these leading questions in the hope she would let slip her true motives.

Her reply came immediately.

"That target practice is under the eye of a former _Marine_ , and those "tips" as you call it, are literal _rocket science_. It would've taken me years if not decades to learn that all on my own and Ah would've probably picked up on bunch of bad habits along the way. To be honest, Ah feel the one getting the most outta this agreement. Walking up to guard — shippin' receipt in hand — and askin' them politely for a package. Anywhere else, ya wouldn't even need me!"

The tea pot boiled on the electric heating element and Teema poured out a cup and placed in a tea bag. He did not serve himself of course. His armored red enviro-suit — a holdover from his Marine days — protected him from bullets as well as it did in partaking the finer things in life. Upon delivering the cup to his guest, he sat down opposite her.

"Illium isn't just 'anywhere', princess. The Migrant Fleet — not a single Quarian-owned vessel — is allowed to even pass through the Illium system. We are the living embodiment of everything the Corporate Asari here see wrong with the Terminus. A race of productive workers independent from their control; something beyond their "logic" in which even morals can be bought for the right price. Every moment we exist outside of their Indentured Slavery they call "work contracts" is a spite against them. In all honestly, had you not shown up and listened to our problems like a person, I would be as racist against the Asari as they are to us."

"But then why are you here at all?" Terith said asked. She seemed genuinely confused. "I've already talked to several of the people here and they all say they are on Pilgrimage, but ya seem a little old for that. Why come to a place that hates you?"

"Why am I here? If you had asked me that a year ago, I would have said it was to get back at the Asari. No question. Steal some expensive supplies and corporate secrets from those elitist _bosh'tets_ and go down in a blaze of honor…"

While his guest was a child, she was also an Illium orphan. It felt naive to coddle her with pretty language.

"...but, seeing you here, helping us where anyone else would be trying to hurt us; it gives me hope. Hope that one day our people might be accepted back into the Galaxy again. So I won't perpetuate the stereotype of 'the thieving Quarian rat'. Now, I just want to protect the peace we've created here."

The child looked honestly uncomfortable with his praise. It put a smile on the old soldier's face, not that she could see it.

She sipped on her tea. "Well… that explains your reasons pretty clearly, but what about the other Quarians here?"

Teema's face now darkened behind his visor. "There are many reasons. Mostly, they were captured by slavers or got into debt way over their heads and found themselves in "contracts" they could not escape from. My original mission in coming here was to free as many of my people as I could so they could be brought to the Fleet safely. Unfortunately, it appears that smuggling myself or food onto Illium is much easier than smuggling my people out."

"Then do you need me to-"

Teema raised his hand. "I'm going to stop you right there. I am the one asking _you_ what help you need. You already are doing more than enough. You are literally putting food on our tables and I refuse to be further in your debt than that."

 _'Not to mention I definitely cannot trust you with that much responsibility.'_

She sighed and he could only sigh himself. 'Keelah... _does she honestly think that she could help smuggle over 100 people off-planet? Does she think this is a vid? With how much of a naive child she is sometimes, I can't tell if she is a bad spy or a good one.'_

Teema stood up as the Asari finished her tea. "Now that this is finished, I must ask you to leave. You are probably already late for your bedtime."

On cue, Terith tried and failed to stifle a yawn. Perhaps deciding it was more trouble than it was worth, she acquiesced and left for the Orphanage.

"I'll see ya tomorrow! Ya have yet to tell me about how Anti-proton thrusters work!"

He smiled but did not respond as he watched her leave out his front door.

— AE —

Only when he saw her disappear into the distance from a window did Teema'Koris once again meet with Kelor'naa in the Security Room.

"Are the preparations ready? How goes the timetable?"

Kelor sighed. "They are almost complete; but are you sure? Our informant said something is brewing, but they have been wrong before."

"We were not ready before."

"And we're ready now? We still do not have the latest encryption keys for the Port Authority Administration and-"

Teema pat the engineer on the back and put on a grim face beneath his helmet.

"We are ready. We could spend 100 years and the plan would still have flaws. Soon, we will be leaving Illium for good."

— AE —

 **Codex Entry - Migrant Fleet: Qwib Qwib**  
 _Accessed from the Intra-Fleet Ship Registry_

 **Name:** Qwib Qwib  
 **Type:** Hanar, Blit Blit Class (Heavy Scout Frigate)  
 **Deployment:** Liveship Escort (Civilian Fleet)  
 **Dimensions:** 240m long, 22m wide, 38m tall  
 **Subsystems:  
\- Armament: **32 x "Bwap" Disruptor Torpedoes, 4 x "Reciprocity" Broadside Mass-Accelerator Cannons  
 **\- Defences:** 72 x "Mk 3-114" Kinetic Barrier Projectors, 8 x "Floob" GARDIAN DEW projectors, "Phoris" Ablative Composite Heavy Armor  
 **\- Propulsion:** 1 x "Mk 8-12b" Anti-proton Thruster  
 **\- Powerplant:** 1 x "Astartes" Fusion Reactor  
 **\- Eezo Drive Core:** 1 x "Talic" Drive Core  
 **\- Sensors:** 1 x "Alaudae" Info-metrics Sensor Suite  
 **\- Other:** [Retrofitted] 1 x "Rayya" Medical Bay and Clean Room

 **Purchase Notes:** Like all Blit Blit class vessels, the Qwib Qwib was designed by the Hanar as a Salarian/Asari venture. The goal was to create a heavy ship that could defend and keep up with standard Salarian vessels and Asari scout fleets. Because of a collapse of the Union-backed Omni-Tool manufacturer Kol'Tash and its merger with Serrice Council in 2514 GS, the Salarian Union no longer could afford to purchase these ships on their completion in 2515 GS. This caused a great worsening of ties in Hanar/Salarian relations for years. Without a buyer, the Hanar's Illuminated Primacy was forced to sell 22 of these ships at very low prices in an effort to break-even with their investment. With little interest in Council Space, the Primacy searched the Attican Traverse and beyond for potential buyers.

Because of the unique opportunity, in 2515 GS the Migrant Fleet Admiralty Board approved of a special ship-requisition budget expressly with these ships in mind. A deal was made to purchase three Blit Blit Class Vessels including the Qwib Qwib in 2516 GS.

 **Deployment Rationale:** Due to its awkward size and armament, it does not fit with either the Scouting or Heavy Fleets. As such, it is assigned to the Civilian Fleet for protection of the Liveships. It is hoped that its armament will hold off attackers in case the Heavy Fleet is occupied or provide additional local scouting information should the Scouting Fleet be stretched thin. The ideal result of this is a more autonomous Civilian Fleet.

 **Other Notes:** As with all Hanar vessels, the name of the ship has caused controversy for sounding very silly. Despite how insignificant the issue started, it has resulted in turning away many potential crew from being associated with it. However, since the ship's registry data is specially designed within a "keyed" sub-systems which pattern-matches with the computer it's attached to for validation, it would be an expensive process to change. Changing the registry subsystem would mean replacing the entire Command and Control computer and that would cost as much as what the Qwib Qwib was purchased for. It is unlikely a renaming will ever be performed.

Unfortunately, because of this, it has had a lackluster record compared to other ships of similar armament. As of 2559 GS, it has yet to produce a figure of note from any of its crews.


	3. Arc 1: Ch 1

**Author's Note:** This chapter will finally be in the perspective of our tiny Asari reincarnator protagonist: Terith.

— AE —

 **Orphanage 2, Nos Astra Slum District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 15-04-2559 GS**  
 _Perspective - Student A1135818 of Academy 3 - Terith - Asari Orphan - 20 years old_

 **One Week Later**

Terith woke up to yet another morning under alien skies. Nos Astra was always overcast — a consequence of being situated in the tropical heartlands the Asari favored and surrounded by steep mountains far to the east and north. The bright-orange star the planet circled had a subtly different hue than Sol. She could hear the faint hum of skycar traffic outside her window and the distinct sight of massive skyscrapers that covered the city in a shower of colored lights.

She was in an alien universe, one in which humanity had yet to find any place in.

As she sat up in her small bunk bed that jutted out over her small writing desk, she could hear the faint murmurings from the other orphans talking.

"I've been _dying_ to know. Is the new crest wax you purchased working? Nothing seems to work for my sensitive scalp."  
"Forget about that, did you see the new _A Matron Loves You_?! That Turian's mandibles and crest were so _sharp_! Oh, if someone could hug me like he did…"  
"Ugh, I don't know how you can find males attractive."  
"Says the Hanar lover. I bet you can't even see the difference between a Hanar male and a female."  
"You take that back!"

She ignored her fellow blue-skinned tentacle-haired aliens and went outside into the small garden which formed the rear section of the Orphanage. The lush vegetation was gardened weekly by drones. The large pool in the middle made it a poor place for the orphans to play and it was too shallow and small to swim in either. Few of her overactive peers would bother her here.

 _'I tried, I honestly did. I tried to be friends with them. It's every Sci-Fi lover's dream to make friends with aliens: to explore new cultures and go where no one has gone before, right? They never actually described how to put it into practice though._

 _'How can you make friends with someone who shares no interests with you? Someone who is completely alien in almost every way? Asari … they demand to know everything about you. They have no concept of personal space and I have nothing in common with any of them. Crest Wax? Extranet Soap Dramas? Alien Romance? Every time I tried to make friends, most of my time was spent catching up on the latest gossip and fitting in rather than actually enjoying myself. I tried just focusing on the things that interested me at first: Cultural and Biological Variance between the various Alien Species, the different styles of government, starships and other things. Those were interesting things which I loved learning about when this world was a **fictional** setting. To actually be living in such a fascinating world… but that only gave rise to questions. Questions I couldn't afford.'_

"Why were you so reclusive before?"  
"How could you not know that new fashion's brand name? Why are you so weird?"  
"Look, washing and oiling your crest is fine, but you really need to use wax if you want to stand out. How do you even _live_ without Crest Wax?"  
"I didn't want to say anything, but I think those girls are talking behind your back. Are you just going to take that?"  
"What language were you speaking just now? Even my translator couldn't pick it up. Where did you learn it?"

 _'It turned into a desperate game of 'Act like you Belong' and as I would learn: playing with Asari means I always lose in the end. They have an almost sixth-sense for social interaction. They interrogate me when I do something wrong. With the secrets I wanted hidden, friendship was not worth the anxiety.'_

As with every other day of her new life, instead of hanging out with friends, she performed Calisthenics. It was not even something she enjoyed doing necessarily, but it was a habit she grew into and she felt it when she left her body neglected. After all, the only entertainment on the Extranet she could actually understand for the first 10 years of her new life were children's programming. Any possible entertainment she could have had from that died during the decade of rerunning cartoons hundreds of times and mimicking the speech patterns of the characters.

 _'I can still hear Shrimpy-the-Asari-Dream-Fish's theme-song in my nightmares…'_

In the interim of that first decade, doing exercise and learning the Asari language were the only two things she could do. Without anything which could possibly distract her, they became her purposes in life. Exercise came with a simple joy of feeling good in your own skin. That was made all the more important when your skin had changed color. Each lunge, push up and stretch was taking control back from whatever thing caused her to be reborn in the first place.

She _owned_ her body — it didn't own her. She needed that confidence.

She found it ironic that her least favorite things to do in her old life — Language and Exercise — would become something she looked forward to. Things which even inspired and motivated her. In fact, she was learning Turian now that Asari was mostly mastered and — if she really _could_ live as long as any other Asari could — vowed to learn them all. It was slow going but her love of learning and her experience studying hard through High School and University had somewhat prepared her for understanding completely new and foreign concepts and VI made them all the more easy to learn.

Or so she thought. As it turns out, there is an upper limit to the foreign concepts she felt she would ever understand.

 _'To be thrown into the Mass Effect Universe… it just seems impossible. Perhaps it was some type of Supreme Being with a Plan? Or maybe it is like the Siari Religion that the Asari practice: some form of nebulous collection of spiritual energy manipulate Dark Energy to shape Galactic Events and bring me here._

 _'Why me though?_

 _'Although I learned as much of the game trilogy's lore as I could at the time, that was over 25 years ago now. Even by the time I learned the language and grasped where I was, it was still 10 years since I played. I can only remember the very basic concepts: Reapers, Crucible, Commander Shepard, the Council, Cerberus and the Collectors. It is incredible that I even remember as much as I do, but most of it only resurfaced through my studies of the Protheans and Council Histories._

 _'Though it only leaves me with more questions than answers._

 _'Where and when am I? What's my purpose here? Has my presence already changed things? Will Humanity ever discover the Council? Does Humanity exist at all? How did Shepard learn about the Crucible… something about Mars and Cerberus? Why was Cerberus evil again? Did Illium even exist in the games? It was probably something briefly mentioned in ME2… What was the plot of the first game again? That villain, what was his name... Samus Arcturious or something? I think I'm getting things mixed up.'_

These thoughts regularly filled her mind as she performed her exercises. While her body was distracted by the stretches and muscle training, he mind was left to wander. It was the only time of the day she felt she could afford to think of such things. She did not want to waste her new life with Philosophical Musings that would have no answers for her.

 _'Of course, there is no possible reason I would get involved with the plot of Mass Effect. What can someone like me do? Saving the Universe? Stopping the Reapers? I'm no superhero.'_

Terith had checked to make sure.

It might sound stupid to some, but for a while, she genuinely thought some Supreme Being might have placed her there to single-handedly save the Galaxy. Despite being an Alien, she felt little had changed from her past life as a Human and so wondered if she could use her superior intellect — when compared to other children her age — and her long life to her advantage. Could she use some obscure training technique to rapidly master her Biotics at a young age and "cheat" her way to becoming a Biotic God? Maybe she already was one. As she found out, it turned out to be the opposite.

She had sneaked into the Matron's office and looked through her medical file years ago; the Matron did little to protect her files. Casually sneaking a mirror onto a tree outside her window was all she needed for her to observe the Matron typing in her password.

What Terith uncovered was she had been placed on a short-list for medical observation as being a possible Ardat-Yakshi. She had "unusually pronounced neurological activity" at birth and "unusual brain structure". She had thought the monthly medicals were standard practice for young Asari, but it was thanks to the potential danger of accidental-mind-murder that her medical files were so detailed.

In her 15 years of medical history stored on the Matron's personal terminal, the "problems" only grew. Her brain failed to develop as an Asari's would; never forming the necessary neurological attachments to her Biotic System. She would never be able to meld and therefore she was sterile; not that that bothered her any. Melding meant sharing inner thoughts — and she had too many secrets to hide — and having alien babies was literally the _last_ thing she wanted to think about. What really concerned her was that any natural Biotic neurological control also failed to develop and so would need an implant to use Biotics at all. While she _might_ be able to match up to the average _Turian_ Biotic but she would be very weak by Asari standards. It was even questionable whether she would live a full Asari lifespan, although the doctors seemed confident that her body was developing more in-line with the Asari model than her brain. The doctors had concluded it was simply an tragic neurological disorder.

She knew the truth.

Although her knowledge of neurology was only University 101 level — and so she could be very wrong — she could see from the scans that she was born with what appeared to be a fully-formed adult brain which never "developed" as an Asari's would. For once she was thankful to be born into poverty. If the doctors had the parental approval and funding to operate and "correct" her condition…

She shuddered at the thought.

This was good news for Terith however. The idea that there was little she could do to prepare or change the future was freeing. She was a normal person again. Now she could spend her time perfecting the language and studying ahead of her peers and cruise through life without guilt. It would suck if the Galaxy ended one day, but it wasn't her problem. She had already been granted more than she thought possible by living this second life to begin with.

 _'Not that I even know when the Reapers will arrive anyway. The only things that help connect me with the Mass Effect Timeline are that the Quarian/Geth War which created the Migrant Fleet occurred about 150 years ago and Humanity does not even exist as far as I am aware. For all I remember, the Quarians were wanderers for thousands of years. Maybe my knowledge isn't even correct. Will humanity ever show up? Do the Reapers actually exist? Honestly, there are more important things to worry about than an uncertain future full of vague Galaxy-wide threats I cannot possibly act against.'_

As she finished her exercises and turned back to find one of those important things she worried about staring back at her.

"Look, there's The Freak again."

"I hear if you talk to her, you'll become a loner just like her."

"No way! How could anyone even know that. After what Nyxeris said, it'd be social suicide to talk to her now."

The group of Asari giggled and laughed at her sweaty post-workout self. As always, Terith ignored them in favor of a shower and breakfast. Academy classes would be starting soon and she had Extranet research to do. "A Treatise on Starship Defence Strategies against Aggressive Boarding Action" would not read itself.

 _'Just ignore them. If you don't bother them they won't bother you.'_

— AE —

 **Commercial Space Port, Nos Astra Wards District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 15-04-2559 GS**

As Academy classes ended and the other students all left to go home, Terith left her peers behind and headed in an entirely different direction.

The 'bullies' she faced daily didn't compare to their human counterparts, and she honestly couldn't care less about them. They wouldn't pick fights or hurt her often, and when they did, it usually was because she asked for it. When she ignored them and didn't provoke, they always left her alone.

Rather, it was the startling sense of loneliness from the lack of social interaction that she felt the most.

She knew it had changed her. She was always an introvert at heart and so she figured that she could stand the isolation forever. She did not truly appreciate the comfort of confiding your worries with a friend until it was gone.

And she had a lot of worries.

As the Commercial Spaceport loomed in front of her, those worries only compounded. She stepped into one of the lines going towards the reception area. Was she truly so desperate for belonging that she would even resort to crime to get it? Was helping a bunch of homeless Quarians really worth risking imprisonment and possible "Work Contract" slavery? After almost two decades alone, it was.

Her classmates were too stupid and alien for her to get along with and the adults did not even give her a second glance because of her age. Instead she took a risk by following a homeless Quarian to his secret underground settlement. Never would she have imagined it would lead her to aiding-and-abetting criminals.

The reception line moved forwards.

She knew about the racism that the Quarians faced and she did feel a little better about herself when she gave them food every week, but she didn't break Illium Law for humanitarian reasons. No, it was simply the idea that someone could rely on her that kept her from spiraling into a pit of depression and a feeling of purposelessness. This was a world she still struggled to feel she actually belonged to so she found solace in the shared camaraderie between outcasts on an alien world. Having a "spot of tea" with an adult that took you seriously and made conversation that interested her were the highlights of her second life. She craved it more than anything else and would do anything to protect it.

Only when she was at the front of the reception line did she realize something was wrong.

She did not understand the reason, but there was a Police Officer stationed in the Spaceport who found her "adorable". Many of the other adults she interacted with did too… until she actually tried to make conversation with them. It was difficult to find a child cute when they wanted your opinion on the socioeconomic conditions of the migrant workers or insight into what Universities they thought were best. With Police Lieutenant Isara T'Yari, however, Terith had purposefully kept up the ruse. The officer saved her time at the reception and playing nice with the Police when you were committing a crime was probably a good idea.

 _'I'm at the reception desk already… where is Lieutenant Isara?'_

The Salarian receptionist finished with the Turian ahead of her and called out "Next!"

Terith did not have time to think about that and instead made her way to the desk and wordlessly handed over the receipt. The Salarian looked at it and her attentively before speaking to her in the typical Salarian fast-and-stilted speech.

"Let's see. Tasi Food Corporation. Regular client. Regular package. Will speed things along with form A112-B. Sign here… thank you. Wait 20 minutes off to the side. Next!"

 _'That's a lot faster than normal. It seems even without the Lieutenant's help I've come enough times to wade through even Illium bureaucracy. I knew persistence would pay off eventually.'_

Terith settled her heart which had been beating at 100 miles a minute. There was no danger.

'It was a long wait, but it seems things are starting to look up for me today.'

— AE —

 **Commercial Space Port, Nos Astra Wards District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 15-04-2559 GS**  
 _Perspective - Anti-Crime Unit Officer - Anaya Allyris - Junior Police Investigator - 112 years old_

She finally had a break in the case.

For the past two years, there had been a wave of disappearances of Quarian Work Contractors; a number which recently surpassed 100. That in itself was not to warrant an investigation: Quarians were notorious for not doing their job and doing whatever they could to skip out of their obligations. However these disappearances remain unsolved even with thorough investigation. Their bodies — alive or otherwise — did not turn up anywhere. 1 or 2 a decade could be reasoned away, but the scale was too large for simple statistics.

The last investigator — an Elcor — put on the case did nothing with it and it sat on his desk until he retired. When she had picked it up six months ago, it had only been her 4th assignment and was the biggest one she had yet.

Anaya knew why: nobody cared about a few dozen Quarians. What does it matter that the suit rats ate some bad food and died in a gutter somewhere? It was a job with little prestige and a lot of work. For Anaya, however, this was an opportunity and she took to it with vigor.

She assumed the most likely scenario first: they were dead. If so, that likely meant a serial killer. Their bodies might have been disposed of thoroughly by the killer or simple overlooked by an unconcerned waste-disposal worker, but their suits were valuable. The Migrant Fleet held a bounty of 100,000 credits on each one returned and "exotic collectors" were known to purchase them for twice as much. It would be too much for the average person to pass up, even if they wanted to hide the evidence.

Anaya searched the Commercial Database for every transaction involving Quarian enviro-suits. Even if some of the trades were performed off-the-record, the amount of credits that would have to "disappear" made it untenable for a corporation to hide it from the Police for long. The transactions would have been caught by the system one way or another. However, even after 4 months of investigation, there were only 1 or 2 questionable transactions. She reported them, but it was not nearly enough. Regardless of whether a serial killer collected them for trophies or they simply were simply traded with great care not to be discovered, it was a dead lead.

Next she assumed the opposite: the Quarians were alive and in hiding. It was highly doubtful they could make it off-world without at least a few being caught, so it was the next likely scenario. Like with the enviro-suits, there was a clear characteristic that all living things shared: they needed to eat. With Quarians it was far more simple; because of their unique physiology, they could only eat dextro nutrient paste or purified turian cuisine. Both of those were Class 4 Substances and their creation and distribution were regulated by the Illium Health and Safety Commission and the Commercial Imports Commission.

For the past two months, she traced the transaction of every scrap of those food products on world. Turians with extreme hygiene standards, corporations doling out the paste to their legal Quarian workers, she searched everything. Unfortunately, her investigation did not go unnoticed and it appeared that she was stepping on a lot of toes by circumventing authority and requisitioning records from servers which did not want to expose valuable client secrets openly.

 _'... but it was all worth it for this,'_ Investigator Anaya thought.

She looked at the monitor in the Security Station as the Asari orphan handed over the shipping receipt she was looking for. Tasi Food Corporation. Tasi — being a Quarian word for "no one" — was a shell corporation that had been illegally established through an undiscovered hack perpetrated on the Database which recorded the Corporate Registry. While the company appeared on the records and did not flag any of the automatic checks, it did not take Anaya long to find no record of the company anywhere on the planet except for the timely deposit of taxes every year. The amount of food that was being delivered also matched with her estimates on the average food intake needed to sustain 100 people.

This was what she was waiting for.

"So that is the one then?" Anaya asked to the other occupant in the room. "That's this 'Terith' you have been dealing with?"

"Yes, she's Terith," Lieutenant Isara replied, a hand grasping at the bridge of her nose. "I'm telling you that she has nothing to do with this 'conspiracy'. She's just an ordinary girl."

"We'll see."

The investigator honestly felt sorry for the Lieutenant. She had been personally signing off on the shipments. If her investigation panned out, then Isara was going to have to kiss a lot of asses to get her career back on track again.

Anaya turned back to the screen where the Salarian Receptionist was handing back the food and letting her leave, just as she instructed her to do. Judging by the passive ease in which the Salarian held herself, she had probably dealt with this kind of sting operation before. She put on her undercover uniform and left after the orphan.

"I'll be heading out. I have everything I need."

— AE —

 **Commercial District Sewers, Nos Astra Slum District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 15-04-2559 GS**  
 _Perspective - Illegal Quarian Migrant - Teema'Koris vas Sholat - Retired Migrant Fleet Marine - 72 years old_

"Everyone is to leave the settlement. Now!" Teema'Koris yelled from the Security Room.

He staggered slightly as he moved to fit his suit with modular armor plating and kinetic barriers. He could not help but feel he was getting a little too old for this, but these were desperate times.

Kelor'naa entered the room at the sound, confused about what was going on.

"What is going- _keelah se'lai_. Is that what I think it is?"

Teema only nodded as he assuming that his "Engineering Assistant" was seeing what he had seen just moments earlier. While at first it appeared that Terith was walking down the Commercial District alleyways alone, a few hundred meters away another Asari armed with a pistol was following her. He could not even blame Terith for neglecting to check for a tail since the Unknown Pursuer was never within sight. She was likely using a surveillance drone overhead to keep track of the child. Teema regretted that he never had actually sat down and explained to her exactly what "checking if she was followed" actually entailed.

The Engineer had taken a moment to grasp the situation.

"What are we going to do? We hadn't planned to leave this _month_ let alone today! The transport isn't booked and the supplies still need to be gathered. The Plan is mostly complete, but if we don't-"

The Marine had finished with gearing up and stopped Kelor's rambling by grabbing onto his shoulder.

"We made contingencies. The only thing that needed doing was hacking the Port Authority's Integrated Friend/Foe Database to allow our shuttle to leave the planet. You and the others can handle the preparations and transport… I will handle the Port Authority."

"But we could still find another place to lay low. If we-"

Teema shook the younger Quarian and touched visors, forcing the youth to look directly at him.

"Focus. This was always the plan in case it came to this. That Asari is armed. Considering the circumstances she is probably Illium Police. When she uncovers this enclave, there will be no relocating; the risks to the others is too great. The best chance for everyone is to leave. It is my job to protect you all. This isn't a death sentence, there is still a chance that I can commandeer one of the Port Authority Shuttles and escape the planet with you all."

He was lying. Worse, Kelor knew he was lying. Still, he had to give him an out: a way to convince him this wasn't a suicide mission even if it wasn't. Teema trained his whole life for this moment. He could have retired to a comfortable commendation as a Marine Instructor for the Fleet or security for the Admiralty Board, but he chose to risk everything for his people. He could think of no better way for everything to end than securing the rear while 100 civilians escaped-

"Hey, it's Terith! Can you let me in."

During their talk, it seemed that Terith had made it to the Sewer Entrance. Teema let her wait and stared Kelor down. The Engineer looked angry; although it was difficult to tell under the visor — even for another Quarian.

"Fine, you're a _bosh'tet_ but… I can't think of anything else. _Keelah_ , this whole situation is just… alright I'm going." Kelor stood straight but the shaking gave away his nervousness. "I- I want you to keep me updated. The rest of us can't leave if we don't know your status, alright?"

"I will, now go! Every second is one second we don't have. Leave now!"

"Alright… _Keelah se'lai_ , and make it back."

" _Keelah se'lai_ ," Teema replied. _'Although I can't make that promise,'_ he added internally.

As Kelor left to inform the remaining Quarians to get out of there, Teema had his own job to carry out. Thinking through his plan quickly, he pressed the intercom button that connected him to a speaker system built into the Sewer Entrance door.

"Sorry about the delay, Terith."

"Finally! Could ya let me in old man?"

"I will… however there seems to be something wrong with the door mechanism, I will have to open it manually."

"Really? Well, alright, Ah'll just wait here then."

He would not have her wait long; he did not want to let Terith's Unknown Stalker know that there was something wrong… not yet. Instead, he grabbed his Batarian Arms "Competitor Mk VI" Assault Rifle and jogged out of the door and towards the Sewer Entrance. His joints weren't what they used to be, but he was used to working through the pain. They would only need to work for today anyways. Neither he nor the rest of the Enclave had any access to skycars so he was forced to get to Terith on foot. It would also make escaping difficult.

But he had a plan. Teema'Koris vas Sholat always had a plan.

— AE —

 **Sewer Access J-1482, Nos Astra Slum District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 15-04-2559 GS**  
 _Perspective - Anti-Crime Unit Officer - Anaya Allyris - Junior Police Investigator - 112 years old_

Investigator Anaya wasn't sure what to do.

She had heard the intercom call and so now she knew the metal door to the Sewers was no ordinary door. However, she did not know what it could mean.

She had many suspicions, but nothing to back them up. Was the conversation code for something? Was the entrance a meeting place — and the food's buyer was just late in arriving to the other side of the door? Was this an entrance to a middleman's hideout and this would be only the first of many tradeoff points? Whatever it was, it was suspicious that Terith was forced to wait. From her tone and the conversation, this was not the usual way this hand-off was done. Just in case, she had called for backup, but they would take 10 minutes to arrive — her situation wasn't urgent and she did not want to take police off a bank robbery or car chase just for a gut feeling.

She would not be left wondering for long as not a minute after the intercom had sounded, the metal door opened. A Quarian in a red enviro-suit covered in armored plates walked out, an Assault Rifle in hand. He opened up his Omni-Tool and suddenly her surveillance drone stopped responding.

"Shit! He knows I'm here," she bit out. Ayana got on her Omni-Tool. "This is Investigator Anaya to Dispatch."

A Salarian male voice responded on the other end of the call. "Dispatch. What do you need?"

She poked her head around the corner. As the Quarian finished saying something to Terith, he raised his Assault Rifle and knocked her out. The Quarian held the limp body of the girl up to protect his chest and pointed his weapon in her direction.

"You better show yourself now Police Officer or the Asari girl dies!"

Instead of complying, she responded to Dispatch.

"Shit, I have a Code Blue in progress. Armed-and-dangerous Quarian holding a child hostage at my location. I have my body camera now recording. I need as many officers as you can give me. This isn't ending pretty."

"Roger. Will update."

The Quarian fired on her position. The Mass Accelerated rounds made loud "pinging" sounds as they impacted the metal walls of the building she was hiding behind.

"That wasn't a request Police Girl!"

Ayara bit back an angry retort. She knew she couldn't afford to make this Quarian any more angry.

 _'Shit. This isn't what I was expecting. I wasn't even planning on violence; this was supposed to be just an observation op — it's why I brought no backup. Who the hell **is** this Quarian! Damn, what am I supposed to do in this situation?'_ She thought back to her training. _'Argh, right, I have to keep this guy talking.'_

"You know I can't do that, Quarian. I get out of cover and you shoot me dead. What do you want? You're the one with all the cards here."

The Quarian began walking, Ayara poked her head out to see what he was doing but was shot at for her trouble. A round hit her Kinetic Barrier near her head. She moved down the alleyway and behind a dumpster before he was able to flank her.

"At least you aren't stupid, that's good. Fine, just stay where you are. I will be going down the alleyway in the other direction and will be hijacking a skycar. You stay out of sight or your face will be full of holes. I'm a pretty good shot, as I've already demonstrated. Should you try to stop me… well, I just kill the kid and then I kill you. Not necessarily in that order. For now, she's useful as a shield, but you try making trouble… and you will find out just how expendable the both of you are."

Anaya didn't move from her position as the Quarian went down a different alleyway. 'Shit shit shit. This guy is for real. This is not what I signed up for with this. What the hell has this terrorist asshole been doing here! How did this slip through our net!'

She followed the Quarian at a distance but didn't make a move. She waited until the Quarian entered one of the X1A skycars parked along the Commericial section's street before she used her Omni-Tool to scan the car's registration. With it, the Police would be able to track the car's location. She did not have the loadout needed to face this Quarian head-on but there were other things she could do.

"Dispatch, I have recorded the getaway vehicle's registration. I will be heading into the sewers to investigate for possible signs of illegal activity."

"Roger. Will reroute reinforcements after vehicle. Let us know of updates."

"Roger."

She turned and ran into the Sewer.

 _'Damn that bastard. We'll catch him, that's for damn certain.'_

Trying her best to ignore the awful stench around her, she turned a corner to find a sprawling collection on scrap-metal houses built into the walls and hallways of a maintenance section. While the place was clearly abandoned, various pieces of equipment and debris littered the floor. Either the Quarians were exceptionally messy or they had left in a hurry.

 _'There has to be something around here that will tell me what's going on-'_

No sooner did she think that, did she open one of the shacks only to uncover a personal terminal left abandoned there. When she turned it on, she found it had been left unlocked.

"This is it! That Quarian may have caught me off-guard, but with this, the Illium Police begins its counterattack."

— AE —

 **Codex Entry - Languages: Asari  
** _Transcript from the Earth Alliance Command Central Database - "Diplomatic Package: Asari" version 4.2_

Like the Asari themselves, the Asari Language appears romantic and soothing to most, but hides a refined structure purified in the crucible of thousands of years of Matriarchal Guidance. As one would describe upon first learning it: it is a Poetic Language in which almost all concepts are derived from long-forgotten metaphors. This is made all the more complicated when one considers the thousands of different contexts each of these concepts can have.

As an example, "Alsiari suume woal'sora" roughly translates to "That's something which speaks of the waters". A direct translation would be something like "That's something obvious" similar to the sarcastic phrase: "Yeah, and water's wet." However this takes on a number of different meanings if used in different situations. If said between strangers who are speaking for the first time, it means "That's something I can agree with." If spoken at a conference or by a Matriarch to someone younger, it is often used as "That's something to think about in your own time." Between lovers or family, it could mean "That's something sensitive which shouldn't be discussed." Each of these different meanings also come with different formal and emotional contexts built-in.

In a lot of ways, this is similar to English and far different from more regimented languages such as Turian or Japanese which attempt to remove a sentence's implied context through the addition of titles and different forms of speaking. Unlike English however, these poetic phrases and metaphors do not simply "spring into existence" through the natural evolution of language, but are carefully designed and guided by the _Thessian Council on Language and Expression_. Like the _Accademia della Crusca_ for Florentine Italian or the _Académie Française_ for Parisian French, the Council was created with the goal of keeping the Asari language "pure and organized".

However, the Council takes things far further than merely creating dictionaries, having debates and discouraging the use of foreign "loanwords". The Council has a large measure of control over society. It is possible for a Maiden to be abandoned by her family or even lose her job for speaking in ways not approved by the Council. While many critics have argued such a thing to be totalitarian in nature and a waste of resources, as with most topics, the situation is more nuanced than that.

An Asari's long life does not come with an equally long memory. Without some method of control, it is natural for an Asari to forget much of the language education of her youth and grab onto the way others speak in her environment. When Asari culture was young and alone, this simply meant speaking with others of her own species — a species which loves poetry and art — and the language became nuanced and filled with complex expression. In modern times, however, this often meant speaking with aliens through translators which removed most context cues.

The Matriarchs which controlled the Asari culture soon found the language becoming stilted and simple. Fearing that this might destroy their society as they knew it the _Council of Language and Expression_ was born. Its goal was to prevent these new developments from turning Asari away from the Arts and Expression and hoped that retaining much of their old language would force them to think more deeply about things as they grew into the next Matriarchs. Ironically to some, by controlling their language it has now become _more_ regimented than it could have ever been simply by adapting alien concepts. The Matriarchs appreciate the irony but refuse to budge on the matter.

As a somewhat rebel movement to this line of thinking, the use of _Ancient Asari_ has begun to gain favor with many new Maidens. Being arguably _more_ Asari than the modern variant — and therefore full of flowery language to the point that a sentence can mean different things to different individual people — it has been approved for use by the Council and it is becoming more common to hear from those at the bleeding-edge of the artistic fields.

It conclusion, it seems apt that any discussion about an Asari topic must delve into politics before it can be adequately explained. The Asari Language is simply another microcosm of the way Asari society blurs the line between politics, religion and culture. It quickly becomes evident that failing to first understand Asari culture and history makes learning the language far more difficult if not impossible.

— AE —

 **Codex Entry - Vehicles: X1A Skycar  
** _Transcript from Skycars Monthly v5-2548_

 **Dimensions:** 6.4m long, 1.1m tall, 2.1m wide  
 **Top Speed:** 240km/h (149miles/h)  
 **Drive Core:** 2 x Xerathirm Mk. 2-b Modular Eezo Core  
 **Propulsion:** 4 x Xerathirm Mk. 8-w Electric Micro-Turbine (Drive), 12 x Xerathirm Mk. 42-q Electric Nano-Turbine (Steering)  
 **Powerplant:** 124 x Elkoss Combine Mk. 8.42 Heavy Power Cell

 **Xerathirim Automotive's 1st Generation Skycar (Model A)** or "X1A" is the first designed by the company since its inception. Normally a producer of lower-orbit and designer passenger shuttles for intra-system transportation, the Independent Turian/Vol initiative's first foray onto the skycar scene has been a huge success.

Features such as its small and highly modular vehicle frame, large eezo core and sleek exterior has made the design an instant sell in places such as the Citadel and Illium who pride themselves for commercial luxury and compact design. After selling out their entire 4-year stock of 1 million vehicles in the first month alone, the X1A has gone on to sell 47 million more in the last 3 years and the numbers show no sign of dropping.

Its unique low-profile appearance and streamlined aerodynamic design appear to hinder movement at first — and indeed similar-looking models have in the past — but the X1A's innovative hinged canopy body ensures getting in and out of the vehicle is painless and convenient. What's more, with Xerathirim's complete control of its supply chain from resource extraction to turbine manufacturing to assembly, the price of an X1A is cheaper than even the budget models sold in foreign markets by Turian Hierarchy's Equites Automotive and Vol Protectorate's Raltos Combine. It is a true success story of private industry over public.

All this combined, the X1A is no doubt bound to be "Skycar of the Year" and the year is not even half over. With the market share Xerathirm has attained through this timely jump into the Commercial Skycar space, this author will not be surprised to see X2As and X3As or whatever future designs come out of Xerathirm to fill the skylines of major galactic cities for decades — if not centuries — to come.


	4. Arc 1: Ch 2

**Skies above Nos Astra, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 15-04-2559 GS  
** _Perspective - Hostage of a Terrorist - Terith - Asari Orphan - 20 Years Old_

Terith woke up to a throbbing headache accompanied by a sharp pain on the back of her head. It took her some time to remember the last few hours but seeing her lying in the back of a skycar being driven by Teema'Koris quickly brought her back up to speed.

"What the hell is going on Teema?!"

"Ah, good to see you awake, princess," the old Quarian replied; as though he _hadn't_ just knocked her out. "I'm sorry about the roughness; I've had more practice knocking out Batarians than Asari children. I'm afraid so I wasn't sure of the exact amount of force to use."

"Th-that ain't the point damnit!"

The Quarian made a sharp left with the skycar's Holographic Haptic Control Interface, causing Terith to slam into the car's sidewall. If her head wasn't hurting before, it definitely was now. Terith had learned her lesson, and so she quickly put her seatbelt on and cradled her head.

"Sorry about that." The Quarian sounded genuinely apologetic. "I couldn't put your seatbelt on and keep your Police Stalker away at the same time."

"Police Stalker? Ah was followed? No. Ah had checked behind me and there weren't any footsteps, Ah remember. Tell me what's _really_ going on!"

"There's more to avoid being tailed than just 'checking your six', princess. Did you check for Reconnaissance Drones? What about tracking beacons or surveillance equipment on your route? I had cameras all over the alleyway that you never caught on to. What if those had been set up beforehand by the Police? The food you took with you was also laced with tracking nanites that I disposed of. I had never got around to telling you, but… well, I suppose it is a little late now. Hindsight and all that."

It was only now that she noticed that Teema was still holding the "Bayonet" pistol she had trained with in his hand and had his Assault Rifle sat on the seat next to him.

"Ah- Uh, what's gonna happen now? Ah don't know where you're takin' me but Ah'm not dumb enough ta think you need my help with whatever it is. Ah'm just a kid, remember?"

Teema sighed. "That isn't precisely true. You see, there is only last thing that you can help me with that will aid the Quarians immensely. You can think of it as one final… thanks."

Terith was now beginning to piece the picture together. A skycar she knew he couldn't have owned — not with Illium's strict registration/automatic tracking technology — the guns, evading the police and finally a "final thank you." None of it was adding up to anything good.

"Ah- Ah think Ah really, uh, really should be leavin' now. Really, just drop me off anywhere and Ah'll walk home. We can just pretend none of this happened."

Teema shook his head.

"You always were far too smart for your age, Terith."

Teema set the car to auto-flight mode and turned around, training his pistol directly at her.

"You aren't going to leave. The Police are likely already tracking this car's registration and I cannot afford to take the time to pull over and look for someone else. I need to get across town and having you will ensure the police do not immediately start firing on this car when they're first able to. Those are precious minutes I _need_ to get the job done. Once I land, having a _companion_ who is small will make it easier to move around and hold a weapon than finding someone else when I get there. Unfortunately I am not as strong as I once was."

Terith was shaking. Never in both of her lives had someone pointed a gun at her. Her heart beat furiously in her chest at the thought that just one slip was the difference between life and death. What's worse was that it was Teema, someone she thought of as a friend, that was doing it.

 _'Why is this happening? This wasn't part of the plan! I was supposed to learn useful skills from some Quarian outcasts and cruise through life with ease. This was supposed to be the fast track to an easy life. Why did Teema have to ruin **everything**?!'_

"J-j-just say what ya mean ya sonuvabitch! Ah- ya want me as a _hostage!_ After all Ah've done for ya, you're using me because Ah'm _small_ , Ah'm _convenient?!_ "

She wasn't thinking rationally, she knew that the moment the words passed her lips. When she realized that her words could get her killed right now, she froze up. Perhaps because the Quarian _did_ feel some guilt — or because she was still useful to him — he did not pull the trigger despite her outburst. He turned back around and ignored her. As much as she hated it, she didn't bother resisting. The old man had proven far too sharp for her to consider getting the drop on him… not to mention that trying to seize control of a skycar — a vehicle she had never learned to drive — was probably just going to end with both of them killed.

"You can blame me if you want — hate me even — but that doesn't matter now. All that matters are the lives of the people I've sworn to protect; that has _always_ been what matters, Terith. I don't know what you were expecting: that I would take you and raise you in the Migrant Fleet? Do you think they have the resources for another mouth to feed? Maybe you thought we would continue to live in abject poverty for your convenience."

"No but-"

"I can understand where you're coming from. You were very helpful, and I hope someday the Quarian people will pay you back for your help. However face the facts, you were also convenient, naive, and — whether accidentally or otherwise — you were the cause of this current situation. So-"

He was cut off by loud sirens approaching in the distance.

" **THIS IS ILLIUM POLICE! THE OPERATOR OF THE BLUE X1A, PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY! YOU ARE SUSPECTED OF TERRORISM AND ABDUCTION OF A MINOR!"**

While Terith was trying to keep from pissing herself in fear, Teema actually had the gall to laugh.

"Well princess, it seems that… what do the vids say… 'the party's just getting started'?"

Terith kicked the back of his seat.

"Th- this isn't a game you bastard! You're going to get us killed!"

Teema just laughed harder.

— AE —

 **Skies above Nos Astra, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 15-04-2559 GS  
** _Perspective - Terrorist with a Hostage - Teema'Koris vas Sholat - Retired Migrant Fleet Marine - 72 Years Old_

He could not help but laugh, he hadn't had this much excitement in 40 years. The moment he took Terith as a hostage, he knew this was it: there would be no going back. It was like a switch being flipped. He would be dying today for his people to escape. The thought was freeing: he would not be dying in bed, just like he always wanted.

It was not a decision he chose lightly but it was the only one the situation afforded him. He had the password Kelor'naa had stolen from one of the Port Authority's IT technicians, but without the encryption codes to the Port Authority IFF Database, he would need direct access. That meant breaking into the well-defended complex with what he could scrounge during his time on Illium: a Kinetic Barrier, some Modular Armor, an Assault Rifle, a Pistol and a dozen Remote-Activated Grenades. If he wanted his sacrifice to be worth something, he would need all the help he could get: and a hostage would hopefully give him the precious advantage he would need.

Not that the poor shaking Asari in his back seat looked like an advantage to anyone at the moment.

"J-just pull over, Teema. Ah don't know what you're plannin' you're only makin' it worse with me around."

Teema had to force himself to stop laughing, he felt insane for even considering the slapdash plan. Then the giddiness he had been feeling before was replaced with a calm feeling of "zen". His focus felt razor-sharp and his worries fell away. He had one singular focus: "I will protect my people."

" **THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING! PULL OVER YOUR SKYCAR OR WE WILL FIRE UPON YOU!"**

There were four police cars now, their sirens now only a cacophony of blaring noise directly behind him. If each of their skycars had just a single officer with a mass accelerator rifle, his "commandeered" vehicle wouldn't last a minute under that amount of continuous fire.

' _I guess that means I have perform some 'evasive maneuvers' then.'_

He put the car into a nosedive, dodging a stream of traffic moving directly below him. He could hear Terith screaming in the backseat but ignored it; it was easy with the horns and sirens going of all around him. He then quickly hanged a left between two skyscrapers and felt the right side of the car scrape harshly against the glass and metal building. Veering back into the midpoint of the two structures, he looked back to see that the police cruisers were still giving chase. As expected, it would take more than some simple car-tricks to outrun the Law. In the rear-view he could see officers hanging their heads out of each of their vehicles. All their weapons were pointed at him.

' _I guess that means they're fine with shooting the hostage now,'_ Teema thought grimly.

Turning back to Terith, he yelled, "Get your head down, NOW!"

Terith was slow to respond. Teema quickly concluded she was most likely still reeling from the minor crash moments earlier.

"Damnit!" Teema bit out as he put the car into auto-flight again and forced the girl's head between her legs.

"Hey! What are ya-"

Not a moment later, dozens of shots from the officer's weapons began pounding the vehicle.

"[Oh my God!] They're firing on us!" Terith cried out, though to Teema much of it sounding like gibberish. She was definitely losing her nerve.

"Keep your head down if you want to live, princess!"

With that Teema brought the car back into manual and took the car back into another nosedive. Just before it could hit the surface, he pulled back up and flew down the narrow streets of the Nos Astra Wards Residential District. With the time of day and the density of the living spaces, there were thousands of people milling about. Just as planned, the police stopped shooting for fear of accidentally hitting the innocents below.

The maneuver bought him a minute or two, but it would not be enough to get the whole way unhindered. He set the car back to auto-flight mode and opened his Omni-Tool and searched the Nos Astra maps for ideas. He first searched for any construction in the area. This wasn't his first car chase and he knew he could use the narrow spaces and cover to quickly hide. With a simple locally-sourced tarp, he could have them searching for hours while he hot-wired another vehicle.

Unfortunately, there were no major construction sites in the area. While there was a lot of development in Nos Astra in recent years, it was mostly concentrated in the city outskirts and not in the city core where he was trying to get to. He knew there weren't many other options where he could hide quickly enough. This was Tuchanka or the urban sprawl of the Batarian Colonies, Nos Astra was too clean and well-organized for quickly dipping out of sight; not when the skycar's tracker would be giving out its position constantly.

' _Well_ _ _…_ looks like I'll have to take use the dangerous method. I wouldn't have it any other way.'_

Leaving the Residential Area, the police began to open fire again. Teema put the car into a steep climb and into oncoming traffic. He swerved in-and-out of the cars to buy more time. Coming out the other side, he afforded himself the few seconds he needed to find his target: the Armali Council Tower. 104 stories tall, its main feature was an enormous mid-air tunnel system which granted skycars access to a number of shopping complexes in the middle levels. Pulling the car into one final climb he entered the tunnel and rolled down the driver-side window.

"Cover your ears princess! It's about to get loud!"

He threw four of his grenades out the window and detonated them into the traffic around him. Behind him there were suddenly skycars crashing left and right creating a massive pileup. Just as planned three of the four police cruisers were caught up in the accident, however the last one still followed. He attempted to shake him by weaving into traffic and causing more crashes and pileups but the last cop was persistent. As Teema exited the tunnel, he angrily pounded the skycar's dashboard.

' _Damn, that last bosh'tet made it through… and it looks like I'm out of time…'_

Just ahead of him was his destination: the Illium Port Authority Building. Twenty-two stories tall with landing pads and starship docking stations dotting the exterior, it served as the nexus for registering starships coming in and leaving the planet which did not have pre-approved permits. These were typically only for ships going through the Terminus Systems which did not have the correct permit-approval authorities. Most other ships simply created a flight-plan and received a permit through an Illium authority stationed in their home port. Those ships would arrive at one of the dozen Commercial and Civilian Spaceports throughout the city.

As one could expect, explaining even a small aspect of the Illium bureaucracy was complicated.

More importantly, the building housed a vast network of operators working with records acquired from every spaceport in both the Terminus and Council Systems to flag ships as authorized, unauthorized, and hostile based on a verification of the vessel's flight plan. Should a vessel have an unapproved flight plan or drift too far away from its flightpath projected in the plan, the navy stationed in the upper Illium orbit would force the ship to heave-to and commit itself to boarding… or be destroyed should the crew fail to comply. I was because of the latter policies that Teema needed to access the IFF Database. If he jumbled what ships were and were not hostile, and kill all communication to and from the Port Authority's Control and Management System, the ships in orbit would be too confused by the contradictory information not keep track of a few Quarian shuttles making a break for the Relay.

A few pot-shots from the remaining police cruiser behind him brought Teema back to reality. While he could try to fly around a while longer in the hopes of getting the last officer off his tail, it could also cause more of them to join the chase. With the amount of public property damage, the corporate government wouldn't ignore him any longer. Every second he wasted was another second for the military to potentially get involved. He might be a Marine, but he was a far cry from a one-man-army.

Instead he went to land on one of the Port Authority's upper landing pads directly. When he attempted, however, several people began firing on him from the rooftop.

' _It appears I was expected… someone must have stayed behind at the settlement and found something. While I kept all my files encrypted, some_ _ **bosh'tet**_ _must have kept sensitive data about my mission somewhere. This is going to be difficult. What do I-'_

He had an idea. He grinned. Teema'Koris vas Sholat _always_ has a plan.

He flew by the Port Authority building and brought the car into a wide arc. He opened the hatch to the car's Element Zero Drive Core compartment, undid the Core's latch mechanisms and primed it to detach. Giving himself a few kilometers of room between him and the building, he turned back around, aimed the car at the upper-landing area entrance-way and accelerated as fast as the car could go. Turning on auto-flight mode, he used an additional program to override the safeties on the collision-prevention system.

Unbuckling his seatbelt and stowing away his gear, he turned to his passenger.

"End of the line, Terith. We're leaving."

Terith, however, did not respond and had curled up into a fetal position at some point along the ride.

With the car no longer swerving, the police behind him once again began firing upon him. Under a hail of bullets, he undid the Asari's seatbelt and kicked open the car's canopy which ripped off from the sudden onset of wind. Just as the car was about to crash, he pulled out the Eezo Core he had primed, held onto Terith, and jumped out.

With the Core jettisoned while active, it began rapidly reducing his weight with its remaining charge. While very inefficient, it did not have to work hard to make him and his passenger lighter than air. Like a hot-air balloon, the lighter air around them decelerated the Quarian and his hostage enough to overcome the speed at which he left the car. Before it could begin taking him up into the sky, however, he let go of the Core and crash-landed with Terith onto a mezzanine overlooking the landing pad. Moments later, the Eezo Core fell over twenty stories onto the ground below. It had quickly run out of energy.

Standing up, he surveyed the damage.

The car — having become much heavier without the Mass Effect counteracting its gravity — crashed into the landing pad and entranceway with explosive force, detonating the volatile electrical fuel cells stored inside instantly on impact. It tore through a dozen small rooms and left a gaping hole on the exterior of the building.

"How- how did ya know that would work? With the Element Zero core and the flying. Ah… Ah never knew ya could _do_ that…"

"Let's just say that I did a _lot_ of special operations. The Migrant Fleet isn't known for giving us all the equipment we need and you quickly learn through experience that a hastily-jettisoned Eezo Drive Core retains a bit of power left in it. Still wasn't completely sure that the core would've had enough power to slow us down completely though. Got pretty lucky there."

"What?! But-"

"Time's wasting, princess. The police cruiser will be landing shortly."

He grabbed Terith and pulled her up to his chest with an arm. She tried to squirm away, but while she was unusually strong for her age, she was no match for the 72 year old Marine that didn't understand the concept of "old age".

As he moved, he noticed two security guards who were just finishing to stand up after having just barely dodged his stolen car. He approached. When they saw the determined Armed Quarian headed towards them, the gaurds pulled out their weapons. When their guns pointed in his direction, Terith squirmed harder.

"P-Please don't shoot!" Terith screamed.

"Shit he has a hostage!"

"Quarian! Put the girl down-"

Swiftly, the Quarian threw a grenade with his free arm and detonated it with his Omni-Tool. Instantly, the guards' Kinetic Barriers were down and they were concussed. He then pulled out his Pistol and with three shots each — two in the chest and one final shot in the head — he dispatched the gunman. The "Bayonet" was anything but subtle and the result looked straight out of a horror movie.

For Terith, it was too much. She cried and sobbed into his enviro-suit. To Teema, he could feel nothing. His suit prevented any heat or liquid from penetrating the surface.

"[Oh my God…] b-by the Goddess, ya- ya _killed_ them! Ya just _murdered_ them in cold blood. How could ya _do_ that?!"

' _They would have done the same to me and you know it,'_ he rationalized internally, but did not dare to speak that aloud. It sounded hollow even to him. This style of execution killing wasn't necessary, but it felt warranted. It was not just his life on the line here. If one of the guards survived and killed him with a shot in the back, over one-hundred Quarians would never be able to leave the planet. ' _But still… this is no sight for a child — or any civilian — to see.'_

"There will be more of this to come. Close your eyes and do not open them for anything."

For whatever reason — a stubborn sense of pride perhaps, or morbid curiosity — Terith did not comply, to her own peril. She was his hostage however, and Teema did not coddle her; he couldn't afford to use his remaining free arm to cover her eyes. Instead, he picked up the two Assault Rifles of the guards and attached them to clamps on his waist and back. He could never be certain when he would need more firepower.

He walked Terith into the carnage wrought by his former skycar and over the unconscious and dead forms of the remaining gunmen who had fired on his skycar earlier. As he approached the entranceway, the grisly forms of at least a hundred government workers and civilians lay strewn about; their bodies mangled and torn to pieces by the debris. He had seen the lineups before on the numerous times he had staked-out the building. Likely these were people lined up trying to get their flight plans approved in person. Just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

As he stepped over the bodies and into the building, Terith continued to sob into his arm.

— AE —

 **Port Authority Building, Nos Astra Core District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 2559 GS**

 *****Alert. Alert. All personnel evacuate immediately. Armed assailants detected on level 19. Do not approach. Alert. Alert…*****

He did feel pretty bad for Terith, but this was all a necessary evil. As an additional benefit, now that she was all cried out, she now simply hung limply in his arm, which made her much easier to carry.

Making his way down a hallway, he walked up towards the entrance of the 19th floor's primary nexus: an Atrium designed as a waiting area. Unlike the remaining floors, the 19th one was designed with security checkpoints to avoid people arriving for check-in from interplanetary flights to simply walk down a flight of stairs and into Illium. It also meant that it was the only part of the building — except for the indefensible stairways and his destination — that he would absolutely _need_ to go through. As he peered into the room, it appeared that this fact was made obvious to the enemy as well.

 _"Bosh'tet_ " he muttered.

"What's wrong?" his hostage asked with dull, monotonic speech.

He didn't need to reply as the two-dozen or so Port Security Officers stationed in the Atrium began firing at him. From somewhere in the back of the group he heard an Asari voice call out.

 **"Terrorist! Put down the Asari and-"**

She was unable to finish her speech as he turned and fled in the other direction. Even for him, fighting two-dozen soldiers at once was too much.

 **"Damnit! Alright, half of you remain here and the rest will take him down. We only need to wait for reinforcements from the Military. Time is on our side."**

 _'While I want to say it is foolish to give away your tactical plan, their observations aren't wrong in this case… If they surround and capture me, I'm finished. My Kinetic Barriers are weaker than theirs and a significant wound could potentially put me into Anaphylactic Shock, especially at my age now. However, I might be able to use their confidence to my advantage.'_

He ran up to the next floor and hid in one of the conference rooms. When he closed the door, he released Terith from his grasp.

"Sorry princess, but for this I'm going to need both hands."

She let out a yelp as he used his Omni-Tool's micro-fabricator to create a set of plastic ties and bound her arms and feet. He had considered this before, but in his experience, the sight of a struggling hostage was more empathetic than a bound one. He needed her to stay put now and once bound, tossed her rather unceremoniously into the corner of a nearby office. Surprisingly, she did not complain. Teema imagined that being stuck in a safe corner was better than being his shield and she didn't want to push her "luck".

He spread out all the equipment he had on a table: eight Grenades, three Assault Rifles, a Pistol, and his Marine Combat Knife. He smirked.

Teema'Koris vas Sholat had a plan.

— AE —

 **Port Authority Building Atrium, Nos Astra Core District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 2559 GS  
** _Perspective - Officer out for Revenge - Isara T'Yari - Port Authority Police Lieutenant - 294 Years Old_

She cursed to herself as the Terrorist fled away from the Atrium with his Hostage. She had wanted her presence with her 22 subordinates she had scrounged up from the nearby security stations to be a show of force to bring him to surrender, but it hadn't worked as she'd wanted it to. It was not a surprise, but she had hoped there would be some way she could save Terith.

 **"Damnit! Alright, half of you remain here and the rest will take him down. We only need to wait for reinforcements from the Military. Time is on our side."**

She turned off the Voice Amplifier on her Omni-Tool and waited with the remaining 11 guards as the other 11 left in search of the terrorist.

 _'He has nowhere to run. If he tries repelling from the exterior of the building, the camera I set up earlier will let me know. It would be shooting a fish in a barrel. This way, only method of getting to the Database on the 18th floor is through the stairwell in this room. That gives the guards I sent freedom to capture him while we hold the line. He shouldn't have much in the way of weapons if he had to steal a skycar. A grenade or two isn't going to get through my security's shields yet alone their kinetic barriers.'_

She had heard of the terrorist plot from Investigator Anaya an hour after they parted ways at the Commercial Spaceport in the Wards. While she had been concerned that a group was illegally smuggling Quarian Food into Illium, the scope of the Terrorist Plot that had been unveiled was immense: Hostage Taking, Prepared Shuttles extracting Quarian fugitives, taking out the Port Authority Security System and more. It had all the making of an organized Terrorist Attack that could potentially take out their entire Solar-System-Wide tracking system. If that was down, the Quarian Migrant Fleet could then swoop in with their superior numbers to take control of Illium and their Defense Navy would be left to flounder without any communication with the Planet.

The Migrant Fleet's demands from the Council for a new planet had been anything but subtle for the past 150 years. This was just the type of insane scheme the Suit Rats could have come up with.

She did not waste time to inform her superiors, but she quickly found herself stonewalled by bureaucracy. The military would take their time to investigate and only _then_ would it deploy its assets. Instead of waiting, she immediately went to the Port Authority building to maintain a defense, taking along whoever she could find that would listen to her along the way. When she heard and explosion and lost contact with the Security Guards she had sent to scout the rooftop, she knew she had made the correct decision. There was no time to waste.

It was only made worse when she learned that Terith had been taken hostage on top of all that.

 _'We'll catch the bastard alive and force him to talk.'_

Her anger calmed a bit as she thought of the hostage caught up in all this.

 _'I did consider it before, but I am getting into my Matron years now and whatever the investigation turns up will probably leave me with a lot more time on my hands… If I can prove Terith was innocent in all this and we all get out of here alive, then maybe-'_

A female Turian voice came in on her Omni-Tools transceiver.

"All Fireteams, this is Sigma-1, I have movement on the 20th floor. I think the Terrorist is moving towards the north end of the room through the conference rooms. We are perusing-"

The ceiling shuddered from an explosion in the distance.

Isara got on the Comms.

"Sigma-1 this is command, what is the-"

Another Turian voice — this time male — came on the line.

"Command this is Alpha-1. Sigma-1 and -2 are down. Alpha and Bravo are engaging with target in the-"

Shots firing in the background cut him off.

"Shit! Bravo-2 and -3 were taken out from behind! He set up some kind of remote firing system with an Assault Rifle. Looks like he created some remote triggers with Omni-Gel. He must have a schematic programmed. We should prepare ourselves for more of them. They don't look like much, but after the explosion, it just ripped through their shields."

Isara slammed her fist on a nearby wall.

"Damnit! Don't underestimate the terrorist. Regroup back to the stairwell, we're coming in from behind for support."

One of the guards turned to the Lieutenant.

"Are you sure about that sir? If the Quarian gets around us-"

The Asari Lieutenant glared at them in response which caused her troops to straighten up.

"Don't question my orders! We don't have time for this, follow me!"

At that, the 11 of them followed her out of the Atrium and towards the stairs leading up. Still, she felt the need to clarify her subordinate's question.

"He won't get around you if we force a confrontation at the stairwell. If we-"

Another explosion rocked the building. It sounded like an intense firefight broke out and then suddenly quiet.

"All Squads this is command, report!"

The line was silent.

"By the Goddess… damnit! We can't afford to go after them. If we go now, their deaths will be in vain. All it would take it one slip-up and he could get through to the Atrium's stairwell. Everyone, fall back to the Atrium. We just need to wait for reinforcements. From there we'll-"

A grenade fell between them. She barely managed to Push it away from them with her Biotics before it exploded. Not a second later, shots were fired from the stairwell.

"Contact on the stairwell-"  
"Fall back to the Atrium-"  
"No he's right there we can-"  
"Get into cover!"

After the confusion was over, 3 more of the guards were dead but the remaining 9 now held defensive positions around the stairway entrance. Despite riddling the stairwell with holes, however, there was no body to speak of but instead a thoroughly destroyed Assault Rifle. She felt guilty that the thought came with some relief on her part.

 _'Damnit! At this point, it's ridiculous for me to consider trying to keep Terith alive. 14 of my men are probably dead. If killing the hostage is what it takes, then so be it.'_

Still, she knew the Quarian's game plan now. He created remote-triggers using his Omni-Tool on any scavenged weapons he finds then uses that in combination with grenades to sow confusion while the Quarian goes in himself to take them out. That plan might have worked in the narrow rooms and corridors of the 20th floor, but with only the stairway entrance, he was trapped. All she had to do was use her Biotics to throw back any Grenades that came down. Without the confusion and shrapnel weakening them, the remote-controlled weapons would be useless.

There was another explosion. Isara looked around desperately for the source.

 _'What the hell caused that-'_

She was cut off when one of her squadmates was crushed under the weight of the ceiling collapsing. Without even thinking, she fell back on her training and threw up Barriers on her remaining squad. With her remaining Biotic Strength, she did her best to Push the debris off her crushed squad mate and hoped he had made it.

That was when another three grenades fell through the hole.

Her Biotics couldn't handle the force of the explosion, but it kept her squad unharmed. The feedback she felt when her entire Biotic Reserve suddenly failed at once caused her to collapse.

For the next two minutes, she faded in-and-out of consciousness as one of her squad carried her. She tried to push whoever was carrying her away — to get them to leave her dead weight behind and go on without her — but she did not have the energy.

 _'This isn't possible. He's always one step ahead! Just who is this Quarian?!'_

They were forced to retreat back to the Atrium, their last line of defense. By the time they had, there were only 2 other Security Guards with her of the 22 she had started with.

"Where the hell is the rest of the squad?" she asked.

"They… retreated sir."

 _'They retreated… no, they ran away. I can't blame them either. For a lone terrorist to take down an entire squad single-handedly would make anyone want to run away; but I can't do that. If the Quarian gets through, the whole planet might be in peril.'_

They set up a defensive position near the exit to the stairwell leading down. Having had time to recover, she was at least able to wield a pistol and sit behind cover again, although her Biotics were completely shot for the next hour.

A voice called out from across the room.

"The rest of your squad is dead. The rest of you should get out of here. Continuing this fight is suicide."

Isara turned to her two subordinates; both of whom were shaking subtly with fear. She was surprised, however, to find that one of them was Astus Iventus. She thought the Turian would have hated her after all the inspections she performed on his station just to see Terith for the past year.

"Get out of here you two," she whispered.

"Doing that will just mean you'll die instead," Astus whispered back, his voice filled with determination.

The other officer smirked. He was a Salarian she did not know the name of, much to her shame. She never connected well with Salarians, given their short lives.

"Besides, if asking for surrender, must mean we're too hard to kill."

She was stunned to find her squad actually loyal enough to stand by her, but perhaps they were smart enough to realize the stakes just like she was. All of Illium counted on them pulling through here.

The Terrorist called out to them again.

"I'll presume from your silence that you are not going to surrender. Unfortunate."

The Quarian ran into the Atrium from the hallway, but her wasn't alone. Isara had already steeled herself to be forced to fire at Terith in order to get through to the Quarian Hostage Taker, but she did not expect to see the Quarian running at them with the corpse of one of her men.

They fired regardless and get through the dead subordinate's Kinetic Barrier quickly. However, the armor and flesh of their former squad mate proved far tougher to penetrate. After half a second, Isara realized something was wrong.

 _'It shouldn't be possible to do that without Biotics! A dead body is too heavy to hold in front of you while firing a- Wait, we're not being fired on!'_

"Why is he-? Shit! Squad, he is trying to get into CQC, spread out and-"

Even as Isara said the words, she realized she was too late.

The corpse was thrown at her and she was forced to get out of the way. While she dodged, she saw the Marine take out a knife and embed it into Astus' throat. As the Turian gasped and clutched at the wound, the Suit Rat kicked the gun out of the other officer's hands. The Terrorist spun around, using the rotation to both take out the knife from the Turian and slam it into the head of the Salarian. During this time, Isara was only able to get up her pistol and fire two shots before her gun was kicked out of her hand too. The shots did not get through his Shields. With how concussed she had been from the earlier explosion, she could do nothing to stop the Quarian kicking her in the chest and putting a boot to her neck.

She was chocking but was still able to get a few words out.

"Y-you… won't get away… with this suit-rat!"

She gasped for breath, bringing up her arms to try and pull the weight off her throat. As she did so, she looked to see if her subordinates could help her, but they lay unresponsive on the ground.

 _'Whoever heard of a Quarian CQC specialist… what a joke…'_

She glared at the Terrorist.

"T-the military… they are coming… you won't make it… out of here alive!"

The Quarian looked down at her; his blank visor unfeeling and unmoved by her plight. He pulled out a pistol and leveled it at her head.

"I know."

He pulled the trigger.

— AE —

 **Codex Entry - Mass Effect: Element Zero Drive Core  
** _Transcript from "Element Zero: The Science behind the Mass Effect"_

Commonly called an "Eezo Core", "Drive Core", or simply a "Core", an Element Zero Drive Core is possibly the most fundamentally important piece of technology that has ever existed. Like the Wheel, the Telescope, or the Transistor, Eezo Cores are not impressive on their own, but when combined with existing technologies creates powerful innovations which drive the modern world.

There are two key components to any Eezo Core. The _Element Zero Containment_ — as the name suggests — contains Eezo in an Electromagnetic Ion Trap. Larger amounts of Eezo stored in the Containment allow for greater amounts of Dark Energy to be released but also allow for a larger Dark Energy "reserve". The second component is the _Mass Effect Field Generator_ , which converts Dark Energy into a Mass Effect Field. In most cases, any contiguous piece of mass which is in contact with the Generator is affected by the field. This is how it works with skycars or Mass Accelerators. In more specialized cases, the Field can be projected or isolated into a preset area. This is how Cyclonic Barriers or Thrusters function.

When the amount of Dark Energy that can be released by the Containment is smaller than what can be converted by the Generator, the system acts like an electronic Capacitor. This is the typical "Core" configuration. The system is less efficient, but with a circuit managing the Dark Energy output can smooth out irregularities in the Mass Effect Field caused by variations in air-pressure and other environmental effects which can change the system's mass. This allows the average skycar to maintain a smooth ride even in hurricane-like events. It also means that removing such a core while it is still active means some residual charge remains. This is why skycars universally have warning labels encouraging mechanics performing maintenance on skycars to wait 30 minutes before removing a Eezo Core. Unfortunately, the amount of mechanics literally flying into the sky, only to fall to their death when the Eezo Core ran out of charge is still a non-zero number. This might seem impossible because the Core only has a less than a second of charge in it at any given time, but it is important to remember that most modern Generators will account for the amount of total mass attached to it when generating it Mass Effect Field and only create what is necessary. This ensures skycars are energy efficient whether one person or 4 people with luggage are inside the vehicle. This also ensures that even a quarter second of charge can last for seconds or even minutes when detached to a much smaller object.

When the amount of Dark Energy is less than or equal to the amount which can be converted by the Generator, the system does not store any charge and always creates the maximum possible Mass Effect field possible. While not commonly called a "Core" due to its more simplistic design, it functions in the same way. This is what is used in Mass Accelerators to maximize the impact of shots fired without requiring much Eezo to generate the Field. Unfortunately this comes with the downside of greater variations in the Field generated which leads to the "spread pattern" of modern firearms. While it is possible to reduce this spread by making the Containment larger, this also increases the weight, cost and temperature generated from a given shot. This is why weapons can differ greatly in cost, temperature generation, power and accuracy. More Eezo means more cost but it can also mean more power or accuracy depending on how it is used. More Eezo also means more temperature which means larger heat-sinks and more cost as well.

Finally another important consideration — which might be obvious to some — is volume and its effect on the power of Eezo Cores. The Dark Energy created from an Eezo Core's Containment is proportional to the volume of the containment but the inefficiency in the Core is proportional to it's Surface Area. This should make intuitive sense: the amount of Eezo that can be stored in a containment field is also dependent on the volume but the electromagnetic field use to contain it only has to cover the containment's exterior. This is also why all Containment Systems are spherical. With a sphere, every ten times the diameter increases, the amount of Eezo stored increases over five-hundred times yet the amount of expense to keep it contained only grows three-hundred times. What this means is that as a Containment gets larger, the Dark Energy — and therefore the Mass Effect created — grows exponentially in power yet the costs eventually reduce to the cost of the Eezo that is stored at large enough sizes. The is known as the Square-Cube Law.

For example, consider the Eezo Core Containments used for Mass Accelerators. For the tiny Mass Accelerators in conventional firearms 50% of the Core's Containment cost is from the Eezo. This might allow for the tiny projectile to travel at virtually the speed of light, but the energy impact is measured in the order of a mere few hundred thousand Joules. For the Mass Accelerators aboard enormous Dreadnoughts such as the Destiny Ascension, however, the core is 4 million times the size yet the Eezo that can be used is 33.5 quintillion times as much. This makes it capable of sending Clawball-sized solid-iron projectiles to within an order-of-magnitude of the speed of light. The relativistic physics involved forces the projectile to travel less than the tiny metal chips used in firearms, but it impacts with over a sextillion times more energy. Moreover, due to its size, over 99.999% of its cost is simply the Eezo used to manufacture it; an unavoidable expense when creating the Dark Energy needed for the Mass Effect. This makes the core's larger size far more efficient in converting energy into force per credit spent.

This concept is what has driven the navies of the Council's true naval superpowers — the Turians and Asari — to build larger and larger Dreadnoughts as opposed to smaller fighter swarms of the Salarians. While the swarms are effective at delivering significant firepower at close range and supporting a number of disparate special-operations mission on the ground, the lack of Eezo in any given fighter means weak shields and slower movement which are easily penetrated and destroyed by the GARDIAN/Directional Energy Weapons (DEW) systems on most ships of Cruiser size and larger. This is why even scouting vessels are Frigate sized ships; as anything smaller is too slow and too easily destroyed to bring back useful intelligence. In most conventional conflicts, a Dreadnought's shields are impenetrable to almost anything. Even things which could penetrate their Kinetic Barriers such as DEWs are negated by the considerable amount of Armor Dreadnought Drive Cores allow them to have. As of this writing, no Dreadnought ever constructed has been destroyed. Even in the Rachni Wars and Krogan Rebellions they were unstoppable.

As one can see, the Element Zero Drive Core by itself is merely an Element Zero Containment and Mass Effect Field Generator by itself, but it is in its applications that the true capability of the Eezo Core can be seen. From simple skycars to invincible dreadnoughts, we are now only left to wonder what new technology could possibly supplant the Eezo Core's place as the next greatest technology. Whatever it is, it is bound to completely change the Galaxy as we know it.


	5. Arc 1: Ch 3

**Author's Note:** After this chapter, the "murder-frenzy" will be toned back down for the next few chapters. I apologize to those who wanted a more lighthearted fic… but I can't possibly think of Mass Effect with anything less than cynicism. This is the same world where slavery and genocide still exist in a borderline post-scarcity Galaxy. If there was a "Dark" tag, I might have taken it. That being said, this story doesn't have the "Angst" tag either. Things _will_ get better for Terith, but without the proper motivation early on, even 100 years won't be enough time for anyone to get ready for something as big as the Reapers.

— AE —

 **Port Authority Building, Nos Astra Core District, Asari Corporate World: Illium,** **15-04-** **2559 GS  
** _Perspective - Hostage of a Terrorist - Terith - Asari Orphan - 20 Years Old_

She had thought she had seen and heard it all in her former life.

Like any person born in a developed country, she had been to the movies regularly and seen the action and horror flicks. She had seen hitmen taking out targets and even some torture on the Silver Screen. Some of those scenes even haunted her in her dreams days after. She had even played those morally gray characters: committing genocides in Call of Duty or even choosing to commit whole races to extinction in Mass Effect. She thought she knew the face of fear and hate.

It was different in real life; it was different when the person dying and screaming for their life next could be her.

From the moment Teema executed the Security Guards on the Port Authority's roof, the situation had only gotten worse. Innocent civilians killed in an explosion, officers' screams of bloody murder, firefighting, explosions, then silence; haunting silence with only the buzzing of broken lights to keep her company as she sat alone: tied up in a conference room waiting for her captor to once again make her life a living hell.

When he arrived, neither of them said anything as the Marine casually went about looting weapons and Kinetic Barriers from the bodies of the Officers whose only crime was trying to stop the Psychopath. She could only stare in shock when they continued to the Atrium again. It was there they she saw Lieutenant Isara T'Yari among the dead; a bullet shot between her eyes.

 _'He's actually going to do it, isn't he? What more could they possibly have to fight against him? What could possibly top two dozen armed guards?'_

There was little else like the guards as they went forwards through the Port Authority building. Occasionally, Teema would press himself against a wall at an unnatural sound and would peek out into a hallway before continuing. Other times, he would see someone in the distance and fired on it. So far, most of them were civilians and fled for their life after being shot at by an armed gunman. The rest of the time they were just unprepared security guards without even any Kinetic Barriers. Those would try to fight but wouldn't even get out their weapons before they died.

It was a slaughter.

— AE —

The two of them had walked for several minutes before Teema finally opened a door to a reception area and accessed the terminal on the desk. No sooner did the Quarian access the system did the door behind the desk open up leading to a corridor. He must have had the credentials to access it already. On the left-side of the corridor were floor-to-ceiling windows opening out to the city. Terith could faintly see the lights of Police skycars.

"We're almost there," the Terrorist told her, heading outside. "Just past this hall and-"

 ***Crack***

Teema staggered and almost dropped her as he stumbled back into the reception area.

Terith looked up to see that his faceplate had cracked, a thin piece of metal sticking out of the side. She had done enough target-practice to know what a Mass-Accelerated Round looked like when it hit a target. Teema coughed as sterilized air leaked out of his suit.

"Damn, they must have…"

He coughed some more and used the nearby wall for balance.

" _Keelah_ , they set up a sniper, the _bosh'tets_. The rifle's powerful enough to go right through my Kinetic Barriers too. Well, they had to get smart eventually."

Terith took the situation as an opportunity to possibly escape with her life.

"T-Teema, you won't make it across the whole courtyard! You've been hurt, but there's still time to-"

Instead of responding or letting her go, his grip on her tightened and he lifted her body up to his eye-level with her head sitting directly next to where the bullet had just been.

' _Oh my God, he's literally going to put me in the path of the bullet! I'm going to die here!'_

"No! Stop, you don't have to do this!" she cried. With her arms and legs still tied up, she could only attempt to headbutt the Quarian's visor in an attempt to get him to listen. The cracked glass cut at her forehead but she kept trying to hit him through the pain.

It was to no avail.

The Quarian ran back out to the balcony. He almost reached half-way before Terith suddenly felt a burning sensation in her left arm. The Quarian staggered and dropped her to the ground. She looked down to see her purple blood pooling beneath her as she collapsed. She tried to get up but found she couldn't move. Even without the bonds on her legs and arms, her entire left side refused to respond. It took her a few seconds to even realize she had been shot.

' _Heh, I would've thought that getting shot would hurt more.'_

She giggled to herself and briefly wondered what she was even worried about.

Suddenly there was an arm beneath her and she felt herself being pulled up. She could hear two more shots fired before both her and her captor were into the room and the door closed behind them. She was lazily tossed to one side and her vision began to fade.

' _I- I don't want to die…'_

— AE —

A loud banging woke Terith up from her coma and she struggled to get up. When she tried to use her left arm, however, it felt like a million hot metal needles were stabbing her shoulder. She cried out, grabbing her arm and rolling on the floor in pain.

A gruff male voice began coughing heavily before greeting her.

"I- I see that you're awake… princess."

As the pain began to subside, Terith realized her arms and legs were no longer tied together with plastic.

Using her newfound freedom, she looked up to see Teema propped up against a computer system directly across from her. His red suit failed to hide the blood trickling down his visor. Only the first sniper shot appeared to have hit as the only damage to his suit was from two small holes in his visor. Terith looked at the man with a furious glare. Still, she hadn't failed to notice that she was bandaged up while his wounds were still completely exposed.

' _He used me as a hostage, murdered dozens of people and tossed me aside like a sack of potatoes, yet he dressed my wounds? I-'_

There was a loud bang again, and Terith turned to see that a large number of pieces of furniture and a jury-rigged eezo core had been placed against the only door into the room. The core likely ensured both the door and furniture would be very resilient to explosive force. The banging she heard was coming from beyond the door.

Teema laughed. Through all that and man was still laughing. If she wasn't so hurt, she would have walked over and given him something to _really_ laugh about. Instead, she had to ask.

"What's so funny?!"

He stopped laughing to let out a wet cough. It seemed he was more injured than he appeared.

"J-just thinking about those poor _bosh'tets_ trying so hard to break through that door but it's already too late."

"Then ya already got what ya came for?"

"Yeah, got into the IFF Database; already confirmed with Kelor'naa. Most of them got out. One of the shuttles got intercepted though. Some _bosh'tet_ didn't lock his personal terminal before leaving; gave away the location of his shuttle. If I just had a little more time to double-check the preparations that might no have happened. Probably was why the gunman were on the roof. 89 people got out though…"

Terith clenched her good fist in frustration.

"Y-y-ya honestly think you're justified don't ya!" she yelled. "Ya think that getting all the people here killed was worth it; that usin' me as a hostage was worth it. You're a _bastard!_ "

Rather than try to reason with her, he just groaned.

That wasn't enough for her though. She found newfound strength now that her bonds were gone and he no longer held a gun to her. She crawled her way towards him, careful not to put any weight on her wounded shoulder. When she was close enough, she weakly punched his already cracked visor. It didn't do much, but she got a small measure of satisfaction from finally having some control of the situation again.

"Ah risked everything for your people!"

She punched his visor again.

"Ah went to the Commercial Spaceport every week for two years!"

She missed the visor this time but punched his chest instead.

"If Ah had know ya were this… this _monster_ beneath that suit, Ah would've abandoned ya the first chance Ah got."

Rather than refute it, the Quarian laughed again. "Sorry princess… that I didn't meet your expectations."

She grabbed onto his visor and tried to find the Quarian's eyes beneath the suit.

"This- this ain't just about me, damnit! Just _why_ , why would you go so far — to kill dozens of innocent people — just to get some more off-planet? Ya coulda just… just tried something else! Flee to safety; run and hide to plan another day!"

' _Why didn't you just stay hidden? We could have gone back to the way things were, eventually. Why would you throw all that away? Why would you throw_ _ **me**_ _away? If it was with you, I might have had something of a normal life in this damn Galaxy!'_

She let go of the visor and stumbled back to the floor. Despite being careful, she made a pained groan when her left shoulder jostled around slightly.

The Quarian made a wheezing cough before responding.

"That's the Terminus Systems, princess. That's the reality; sometimes there _are_ no good solutions. People here… they think that Illium is another part of Council Space."

He shook his head.

"The rules and the fancy buildings are facade. You'll find on a map it is correctly on… the other side of the border. The Migrant Fleet has lived this horrible reality… every moment of every day for- for 150 years and if they are going to survive-"

He coughed again, straining to keep from collapsing.

"-if they want to survive… they — we — will have to do everything and anything… to see them through."

"Ya knew about the Police though even before they did! Ya could've just gotten away, just stayed hidden somewhere else until they lost track of ya! Ah would've been in a bit of trouble, but it would have worked out!"

Teema coughed out a laugh. "Even like this… you still won't just listen to your elders… still, I enjoy these talks…"

"Then explain yourself! Ya don't have the luxury to jerk me around, not after all this!"

"You- you don't understand and that makes me worry about the future… the future of my people… youngsters like you. Inaction has consequences too… Sometimes you have to sacrifice everything. Trying to hide… would have risked the others. Many would be caught from the raid… it isn't so easy to hide in a city as well-regulated as Illium."

Despite his wounds, he starting standing up. It took him a few seconds of coughing, but eventually he was able to maintain his balance by leaning against a terminal.

"I'm… a 3rd Generation Quarian. We were born with a debt to pay… It is our duty to carry the Will of Rannoch… to pay back for the lives lost."

He looked away from Terith then.

"I- I might be one of the last people alive in the Migrant Fleet to have ever talked to someone who lived on the Homeworld, you know? The harsh sands… the rocky bluffs… it was not a paradise, but it was ours… once. None of the children will hear those stories first-hand. Will they see it… like I've heard it? Will they still care to return? Someday our people… might give up on that dream, but so long as we stay in the Terminus… we have a chance-"

He had another wet cough, but this time red blood began to ooze from his helmet.

"Argh! _Keelah_. Terminus... takes away a lot, but… you gain the most important thing…"

"What?! What was worth all of this?!"

Before he could respond, the furniture that held the door shut now floated throughout the room in a blue mass effect field. The furniture was then unceremoniously tossed onto the far side of the room and the door which sealed the two of them from the outside world was suddenly thrust open. An Asari then leaped into the room and into cover behind a desk on the far side.

The Asari gave out a yell from her cover.

"Terrorist behind the computer system! Surrender! Put your hands up and step towards the door!"

Teema weakly pulled out his pistol and began firing, forcing the Asari that had entered the room into cover.

He turned to her and took off his visor. His face was battered, marred and yet not as alien as she had expected. Yet despite the bruising, he smiled.

"Purpose… a purpose is what makes it all worth it… I'm sorry I couldn't be the one to give it to you."

The Quarian turned back to his enemy and with a loud roar, he charged at the Asari, firing his pistol at the cover she was hiding behind.

It was over in an instant. The Asari lept from cover and went into a Biotic Charge, slamming Teema's body with a biotically-powered body-check. Teema's body was sent hurtling to the far wall. With a sickening crack, it slumped and stopped responding. The Asari fired her assault rifle into him but did nothing; he was already dead.

Terith looked on in horror. She might not have considered the Quarian a friend of hers anymore, but she still saw him as a person.

 _'It's not possible. He killed all those people, survived a fight with over 20 Police at one and a car chase. He even survived being shot at with a Sniper Rifle.'_

"He- he can't really be dead, right?"

The Asari turned to her location.

Realizing what she'd just said, Terith instinctively hid behind the Computer Terminal in fear of being seen by the super-powered Asari.

"Who's there! You have five seconds to show yourself before I-

"W-Wait!" Terith responded. "Ah'm comin' out now, please don't shoot!"

Terith never even considered not trusting the Asari. She was too wounded to consider trying to get away herself; especially someone who could rip through a fortified door with Biotics. She was also in shock and deserately trying not to look Teema's way. The scene was sickening and she doubted she could tolerate another sight of the Quarian's broken body.

She slowly got up — taking care not to aggravate her wound any further — and made her way out. She tried to put her arms up in the universal sign of surrender, but could only put her good arm above her head. She hoped that would be enough for whoever this was. Seeing a small, unarmed child covered in blood must have been good enough as the Biotic put her weapon away and stood up from her cover.

"Hey kid, the name's Tela. I'm a Spectre. Do you know what a Spectre is?"

That got Terith to stop. She definitely knew what the word was and grimaced.

' _If it isn't one shitty thing it's another. The games might have made them seem heroic, but I've read the horror stories on the Extranet. The question is: does she think I'm guilty of the same crime she murdered Teema for?'_

Terith almost thew up just thinking about what happened to the Terrorist. Any thoughts of Teema were equal parts horrifying, terrifying and tragic. She desperately focused on the Spectre in front of her instead.

 _'If this "Spectre Tela" wanted, she could do the same to me right here, right now. No trial. Damnit! I was hoping I would never have to ever see one of them in my lifetime. How the hell does this situation keep getting worse?!'_

"Uh, y-yeah… y-you're the Special T-Tactics and Reconnaissance b-branch of the Council… y-y-ya ain't gonna k-kill me, right?"

The Asari smirked. "Not the first thing most people ask when they meet a Spectre, but I'll let it slide given the circumstances. Bonus points for knowing the full name, kid: Top Marks. To answer your question; no, I'm not going to kill you. It's over. I'll make sure you're sent home as soon as possible, but for now:

"Let's get you fixed up."

— AE —

 **Administration Plaza, Nos Astra Core District, Asari Corporate World: Illium,** **15-04-** **2559 GS**

Terith sat in a makeshift habitation which was created at the base of the Port Authority Tower in a large plaza which connected many of Nos Astra's administration centers together.

As it turned out, hospitals weren't needed for most issues resulting from a Terrorist Attack or other natural disaster. A wound caused by shrapnel or debris lacerations could be cured through the synthesis of cells created through Omni-Gel and a large machine called a Medical Graft Assembler (MGA). Simply sticking the damaged bodypart into the machine and pressing the button was all that was needed. The Council Governments were trying desperately to reduce the size and expense of the system for combat use, however there was no clear method yet. Something like the Medi-Gel of the games was pure fantasy at the moment, although there were rumors that the Salarians had something in the works.

It was safer and often cheaper to setup a temporary field-hospital at ground-zero of a disaster with a doctor and an MGA in place rather than transferring people to a hospital with costly paramedic services and wait times. Even if the disaster was in the middle of a city, the Triage of patients vastly improved.

Her wound was bad — a shot right through her bone and muscle — but futuristic medical technology was better. She would only have a tiny scar. The pain was already gone but the new flesh was very sensitive so Terith was using her Omni-Tool to distract herself from wanting to itch it raw. She would only need to check with the doctors again in a week to have a final examination and the wound would be healed. There would be almost nothing left to remember the "incident" by… at least physically.

 _He_ was dead. He almost got her killed and he killed other innocent people and he died for it. Justice was served; he deserved his fate.

The occasional teardrop still fell from her eyes for him anyway.

 _'Why, damnit why?! This isn't a damn movie; I'm not supposed to give a shit about stupid "heroic last words" and "final stands"! I'm better than this! I refuse to fall for the damn Stockholm Syndrome trope! I don't get it. I hate him; I don't feel an ounce of pity for him. He deserved it. The bastard got me shot in my shoulder for Goddess' sake! What the hell is the matter with me?'_

While she would never say it — didn't even want to _think_ it — those 2 years weren't just give-and-take. She staved off more than just loneliness with him and gave more of herself than just some food. It felt like just a blink of an eye when she considered the years she'd been alive in both her lifetimes but Teema had been something close to a "best friend".

 _'All those years and I didn't know a damn thing about him. Is that really what the Terminus does to people? Does it really change people that much, that a "kindly grandpa" can turn into a psychopathic killer when the situation calls for it?_

 _'Why did this have to happen to me?'_

An hour ago she had received a message on her Omni-Tool. It was one final message from _him_. He had a plan for everything it seemed; everything except living.

He had given her everything he had. It wasn't much: a few thousand credits, a couple online reference books the Quarians used for ship repair and Marine combat operations, as well as a number of annotations the Marine himself had made, commenting on the material. The worst part about the gift was that there was nothing she could think rationalize throwing away. The books weren't things she could find on the Extranet and the annotations would be invaluable; and credits were credits. Part of her just wanted to throw it all away anyway, but another part of her realized that doing so would be allowing her emotions to win; and she couldn't let that happen.

The Terrorist had even given his engineering assistant — Kelor'naa — her contact information. The Engineer had already written a message to her with the header "I owe everything to you". She hadn't read the message and probably never would. She wouldn't be giving the Quarians another speck of trust they could exploit again.

It wasn't long after she received that last message when an Asari entered the room. While she was wearing civilian clothes, Terith immediately knew there was something wrong from the awful stench clinging to her. She would never forget the unique smell of the Asari Sewer System and the only reason someone would want to visit her without first fixing that smell would be if they found something.

It filled her with dread.

— AE —

 **Administration Plaza, Nos Astra Core District, Asari Corporate World: Illium,** **15-04-** **2559 GS  
** _Perspective - Anti-Crime Unit Officer - Anaya Allyris - Junior Police Investigator - 112 Years Old_

When she arrived at the base of the Port Authority Building, she knew — one way or another — that it was over.

Paramedics were moving Eezo-powered gurneys out of the tower; sheets covering the corpses that lay on top of them. The building itself looked worse for wear, and there were clear signs of a bombing from the broken windows and smoke. As she made it to the edge of Ground Zero, she showed her badge to one of the Officers stationed there and passed through the KEEP OUT holo-projector boundary. The Officer's face was full of disgust as she went past and she sighed.

 _'I literally smell like a sewer. I can't wait for this to be all over and I can finally get a shower.'_

She made her way to the building entrance where two Asari were talking to one another. She recognized one of them immediately: Tela Vasir, Illium's own Spectre. However, it wasn't her that she wanted to talk to. Stepping to the side of the two Asari, she saluted.

"Investigator Allyris reporting, sir! Superintendent Marrana, I need to give you my report on-"

Superintendent Marrana cut her off with a quick pat to her shoulder and a glare.

"I understand Anaya, but this _isn't_ the time. Spectre Vasir was just finishing with her own report." She turned to the Spectre. "I'm sorry about that, could you continue?"

The Spectre shrugged.

"There isn't much left to say. The Terrorist was neutralized and I rescued the hostage and brought her down here for medical attention."

The Superintendent brought out her Omni-Tool, appearing to note down the rest of the conversation.

"Was there no way to capture the Terrorist alive? There are still a lot of unanswered questions."

Tela Vasir sighed and rolled her eyes.

"That isn't what I was called in to do and you know it. Yes, the Quarian wasn't in any shape to pose much of a threat to me, but your Government only called in _small_ favor to take out a Terrorist and I did. I may not have been a Spectre for long, but I've learned from my Commando days not to take pointless risks just to make other peoples' jobs easier. If you wanted the Terrorist alive, Illium should have put in the request. At the very least, they could have put a little more than a few dozen Officers and Security personnel in his way."

"Please don't make light of Lieutenant T'Yari's sacrifice. She and her platoon bought you valuable time to-"

Anaya cut the Detective off with a grab to her arm.

"Wait, Isara T'Yari is dead?!"

There was a brief look of surprise before the Detective schooled her features.

"Yes. Unfortunately the Lieutenant was one of the 114 people killed in this horrific attack."

Anaya stepped away from the two as they finished their conversation.

 _'I knew I shouldn't have told her that the Quarian was going to travel to the Port Authority Building. What was I thinking? I had just ruined her career! Of course she was going to take such a golden opportunity to get her life back on track.'_

Not sure what to do, she busied herself searching the pre-fab medical stations built next to the Port Authority ground floor. She was hoping to find a survivor of her platoon; someone she could say sorry to and ask forgiveness or at least to get the full story from. When she opened the door to the first Field Hospital however, she found herself face-to-face with the last survivor she expected to see.

She had briefly humored the idea that Terith might have survived when Spectre Vasir had mentioned rescuing a hostage, but had immediately dismissed the idea. After the madman put a gun to the child's head, she had assumed she was a simple pawn. After all, what could a child possibly be a part of such a disaster.

But seeing that same girl simply nursing a shoulder wound had her seeing red. She ran up to the child and grabbed her by the lapels. The action caused Terith to gasp with pain, but the determined Investigator ignored her.

"How?! How are you here and alive?! You were working with him weren't you; the Suit Rat would have abandoned you somewhere or killed you otherwise!"

The child looked shaken but otherwise did not respond.

"Damnit! Tell me what happened!"

"Ah-Ah was, uh, knocked out… then there was the car chase and, uh-"

"I don't want your life story, just tell me about your involvement! I want names and places. Where were the Quarians headed, what shuttles did they use?"

"Ah-"

An Asari voice called out from behind them.

"That's enough Investigator Allyris."

She turned to see Spectre Vasir standing at the door. Anaya let go of Terith and gestured in the child's direction.

"You don't understand, Spectre. She was involved in-"

The Spectre slammed the wall next to her with her Biotics. A hand-shaped imprint was left on the metal.

"You're the one that doesn't understand, _Inspector_. I don't know and I don't care what 'evidence' you have, but the kid had nothing to do with this attack. The Terrorist was using her as a shield to block my bullets. So unless the next words out of your mouth are irrefutable proof of her involvement, I won't allow you to interrogate that poor child any more."

 _'Damn... what do I have that I can give her? Video evidence only points out she knew of the Quarians living in the sewer and that she gave them supplies they asked her for. It might be very suspicious, but Illium's laws are pretty clear that both of those things are perfectly legal to do. Squatting on private property is illegal, but the Sewer Systems are one of the only public places that exist. Even the communal gardens are owned by nearby corporations. That Quarian and her must of planned this.'_

The next words weren't from Anaya, but from the child.

"Wait, the only way ya could have known about me bein' a shield is if ya were the _Sniper_?!"

Tela Vasir smirked.

"Yeah, sorry kid but I had no choice when I took that shot. That Terrorist was a tenacious bast- er, Quarian."

At their playful banter, Anaya knew her window to get her answers was over. Whatever went on in the Port Authority Building that day, she would not be getting anything from the kid with a Spectre covering for her. While glaring at the Spectre, she stormed out.

 _'That kid's up to something, I **know** it. No normal child gets caught-up with Quarian Criminals without at least trying to report it. I did my research. The kid was not kidnapped or drugged. In fact, it didn't take long to find evidence of her going to an Orphanage every night. She participated voluntarily.  
_

 _'I'll be keeping an eye on her. For Isara, if not for myself.'_

— AE —

 **Administration Plaza, Nos Astra Core District, Asari Corporate World: Illium,** **15-04-** **2559 GS  
** _Perspective - Wounded Child - Terith - Asari Orphan - 20 years old_

Terith watched the back of the Spectre as she left the room. Only when she was gone did she let out a breath she did not realize she was holding in.

' _That Spectre pulled through with her offer at least. Knowing the rumors about how Spectres operate, there won't even be anything on the news. "An 'unfortunate gas explosion' had taken the lives of a number of poor civilians, but thankfully Spectre Tela had come along to help the wounded" or something like that would be the headline. How many similar headlines have I heard over the years? How many thousands of people had died since I was born on the streets in that exact same way? Only to be covered-up and forgotten?'_

She would forget them too; she was determined to forget any of this ever happened. She managed to avoid prosecution this time, but she had skirted the boundary of the law for the last time. She would forget the attack, forget the Quarians and especially forget Teema. She would not give them her trust again; not after how much they already abused it. There was one thing that Teema said, however, that struck her down to her core.

' _Illium really is in the Terminus, isn't it? That same Terminus where killing innocent people is just a means to an end, right Teema? Is that what you meant by a "purpose", that I could have been one of those people you killed today just for getting in your way?'_

She sat up in her bed, and opened her Omni-Tool, searching for Universities and the remaining Academy Courses she would need to complete to get there.

' _Well you were right, the Terminus_ _ **has**_ _given me a purpose. I'm done playing kids games. Now that I know the Universe won't allow me to just sit back and let me live my life in peace, I have a new motivation. I thought I was in control: with my physical exercise and my research and my Quarian "friends"; but this isn't Earth. Getting fit, getting friendly and getting smart won't save me in the Terminus._

 _'This is the world of a video game where violence was always an accepted answer. I tried to forget that. I tried to pretend that I could just put my fingers in my ears and ignore the glaring problems staring me right in the face. However, if I'm going to be able to take back control and get my life on track again, there's one thing I_ _ **must**_ _do first:_

' _I have to get the hell away from Illium.'_

— AE —

 **Codex Entry - Migrant Fleet: The Quarian "3rd Generation"  
** _Extracted from the Intra-Fleet Historical Archives_

Addendum: A Quarian's "Generation" is determined by how distant they are to their most direct "nar Rannoch" ancestor. A 3rd Generation Quarian implies that one-or-more of the their Great-Grandparents were born on Rannoch: the Quarian Homeworld.

The 3rd Generation was known as "the problem" generation. This was not due to any misbehavior on their part, but because they were the first to show the significant symptoms of the so-called "Sterilization-Derived Immunodeficiency Syndrome" or SDIS, colloquially known as "star-sickness" or "the migrant's disease" within the Migrant Fleet. While 2nd and even 1st Generation Quarians had shown signs of SDIS before, regular doses of immuno-boosters and antibiotics were enough to keep most symptoms at bay. Those in need of more serious care were placed into specialized "Clean Rooms" for isolation and observation and often recovered within months.

With the 3rd Generation, however, came widespread deaths among a Migrant Fleet already stretched thin trying to sustain itself. Over 95% of the generation was diagnosed with SDIS and 74% of the Generation would not live to see their 21st birthday. The decades following the birth of the first 3rd Generation Quarians would see massive investment of the Fleet's meager funds into cybernetics, biology, medicine and genetics: all in the search of a cure. The money sunk into this research came at the expense of ship-procurement and the average Quarian's standard-of-living. This would later become known as "the debt" by members of this and future generations.

While a cure has never been found, Quarian _Hybrid-Composite Immuno-Isolation/Pressurized-Environment Suits_ — colloquially known as "life suits", "enviro-suits" or just "suits" — could keep a Quarian alive indefinitely by retaining the sterilized atmosphere of a starship even when on a planet or other unsanitary environment while also serving as a space suit when required. As time went on, it became common for even 1st or 2nd generation Quarians to buy these suits: both to inject additional funding in the life-saving program, and to make their sickly children feel more comfortable with themselves. Due to the Quarian need to save resources, many of these original suits are still in use today. Like Quarian ships, these suits are a testament to the quality of Quarian Engineering and Science.

While there is no root-cause found for SDIS, it is the opinion of many Quarian Scientists that some type of biological particulate on Rannoch is required to "jump-start" the Quarian Immune System in its early development. These scientists cite the many multi-generational space-station families in other species as proof that Quarian Immune degradation happened far too quickly and was far too widespread to be a simple genetic disorder. Whether true or not, the Migrant Fleet greatly prizes any and all flora and fauna from Rannoch; one of which they hope will lead to a cure. Despite the carefully cultivated greenhouses full of such plants in the Migrant Fleet, however, no such compound has yet been found.


	6. Arc 2: Ch 1

**Author's Note:** This will be the first chapter where Galactic Credits (the currency) and what they represent are important. Unfortunately, my research has confirmed my fears: the Game's credit system is inconsistent and wildly different across the trilogy. This was clearly done to balance the risk/reward of plot progression. In ME1, Shepard secures an exclusive interview with a media corporation for less than 200 Credits, only gets 500 Credits for smuggling in Illegal goods into Noveria, yet even simple upper-level weapons and weapon mods can cost 5000 Credits or more; weapons you can find just lying around in the Terminus. ME2/3 are a little better but definitely not consistent enough to design an economy around. This makes sense for the game: getting powerful weapons early on would be game-breaking. In real life though, this doesn't make any kind of sense; someone like Shepard would be better equipped than Saren's Merc goons, even _before_ becoming a Spectre. Therefore to keep things simple, it is safe to assume 1 Credit ~ 1 USD in this story.

— AE —

 **Asari Corporate World: Illium  
** _Perspective - Student A1135818 of Academy 3 - Terith - Asari Orphan - 20 Years Old_

Terith was shocked when she first heard that news of her hostage taking got out. Worse still, it was a significant event that she could not hide from. The Corporate backed News Programs ran stories condemning an Investigator on the case leaking "The Quarian Incident" to social media. They quickly changed their support as backlash against the Government's failure to respond promptly to the incident fanned the flames of social unrest. The past several months had been nothing but inquiry after inquiry on exactly what happened, what was being covered up, and who was going to take the fall for failing to protect the deceased citizens. There had even been call for arresting all the Quarians and putting them into Internment camps until the inquiries were finished. When the names of the Officers who died had been released to the public, Lieutenant Isara became a martyr for this cause with demonstrators using "Remember Isara" in their protests.

Terith had learned this in spite of her refusal to follow the events. As she had vowed, she desperately tried to put the whole thing behind her and forget it ever happened but the news was too important not to hear things indirectly.

In light of that, her reasons for leaving Illium only intensified. She had done her research and read the requirements: all she needed was Illium citizenship and she could book a flight out of there. To get that, the prerequisites were simple: a Youth Academy Education and certificate verifying her as an Adulthood. Once she tested out of her remaining Academic Courses, she could apply to officially became an adult through the Orphan Emancipation Program.

She thought she could almost _smell_ the sterilized Citadel air.

— AE —

 **Youth Academy 3, Nos Astra Slum District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 26-07-2559 GS**

 **4 Months Later**

Terith stood in the Matron's office as the older Asari worked on her personal terminal at her desk. The moment was a culmination of a lot of hard work and Terith was understandably nervous.

' _It took 4 months of long nights and intense study, but it's finally over, I hope. With these final tests, I will be finished with this Academy and moving up in the world.'_

The Asari finished typing on her personal terminal and looked up at her with a grin.

"Congratulations Terith! You have successfully graduated this Academy! This makes you not only the youngest graduate at _our_ Academy, but of any Asari Academy anywhere! I am truly happy that…"

Terith tuned the Matron out as she rambled about how "great" Terith was. Being a former human, she felt that graduating the equivalent of high school at 20 years old was nothing to praise. Especially when she had went though it once before. Instead she simply sighed in relief.

 _'It's over. Now I can use my line-of-credit to secure transit and education on the Citadel or elsewhere. It will mean going into more debt, but that's hardly an issue considering how deep I am already.'_

Being a Corporate Planet-State, the Illium Government had no public institutions except those handling foreign affairs and customer service. This meant that all the services provided by the Orphanage: food, lodging, Omni-Tool purchase, Extranet Access, clothing, health/life insurance premiums etc. added to a debt she would have to repay to the various Corporations which invested into the Illium Orphanages. It would take decades as she was right now to pay it off. The last she checked, her debt was in excess of 280,000 credits.

There were benefits to her situation though. While her debt was large and would only get larger, it was part of a so-called 'Maiden-Development' line-of-credit the corporations had banded together to create. This had a Credit cap of 1,000,000 and an interest rate of 0.9% so long as she had no income and was less than 60 years old. Essentially, it was a cheap mortgage invested into her well-being rather than into a house. This meant it would be easy for her to travel and educate herself in the safety of Citadel Space; she could worry about getting a good enough job to pay back her debts later.

 _'I might whine and complain about my situation, but if I'm honest, it isn't half-bad. Illium might be a dictatorial corporate hellhole, but at least it has given me one last chance at a normal life. I don't know **why** Illium is being so generous with the low interest-rate and what their angle is, but I couldn't find anything about the program on the Extranet and I'm not about to look a gift-horse in the mouth. I'm sure it brings about economic stability like low-rate mortgages did back in my previous life. It isn't too strange.'_

As Terith though all of this, the Matron had finished with her speech.

"…and so I am proud to be the one to give you your Youth Academy Certification. May it serve you well in your future endeavors."

She wanted to mouth-off at the Matron for being useless at her job and how glad she was to finally be leaving the orphanage. Instead accepted her certificate gracefully. There was no point in antagonizing someone she would never see again, after all. She already forgotten the Matrons name as she left the room. She walked off to her bedroom to begin packing her meager belongings.

— AE —

"So the Freak actually thinks she can make it in the world just because she graduated early."

Terith turned away from her packed supplies to find that Nyxeris and her gang of would-be bullies had begun to crowd in on her.

' _Damn, just another few seconds and I could have been out of here. I should have known I wouldn't be able to leave quietly.'_

She sighed and finished up her packing. She turned and addressed the crowd.

"Look, Ah don't care what you're here for, but if ya just let me leave right now ya'll never have to think about me ever again."

The crowd looked hesitant to reply and Terith took that as an opportunity to gather her belongings and make a break for a split in the crowd off to one side. However, when she started going off in that direction, Nyxeris blocked her path.

"No! You don't get to leave until _I'm_ satisfied. You haven't even said sorry to me yet!"

Terith rolled her eyes.

"Sorry. Can Ah go now?"

Nyxeris flushed with anger and grabbed Terith by her shirt.

"That's not good enough! You still don't know how the world works! You think that you can get anywhere in life-"

Nyxeris was cut off when Terith punched her hard in the stomach followed by a knee to her face. There was a crack as the older girl fell to the floor. Purple blood began to dripping from her nose. Nyxeris let out pained sobs as her allies huddled around her to see what was wrong.

Terith glared down at her bully with clenched teeth. As her bully began to cry, she looked up and glared at the other gathered Asari.

" _No one_ gets to tell me what to do. Ya will not be stopping me and Ah will fight _anyone_ who thinks they can stand in my way!"

The Asari mob parted to let her through. She could hear angry shouts coming from the room as she quickly ran down the stairs and out of the Orphanage before the mob considered ganging up on her. Despite that brief worry, she let herself have the comfort of a small smirk.

She didn't have time for bullies or friends. She wouldn't be held back by her past. She had a world to leave.

— AE —

 **Emigration Service Desk, Nos Astra Core District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 02-08-2559 GS  
** _Perspective - Youngest Asari Youth Academy Graduate - Terith - Asari - 20 Years Old_

 **1 Week Later**

To say that Terith's "escape from Illium" idea was _not_ going as planned would be an understatement.

Terith and the Asari Service Desk agent sat in a comfortable room within the heart of one of the many Nos Astra Administration centers. While the Emigration Agent was patient with her, it was the type of patience one had when coddling a child; a condescending attitude that grated on Terith's nerves. The "child" in question was furious for more than that though. She slammed on the desk in front of her — which was a feat considering her small stature — and glared.

"What do ya _mean_ Ah can't Emigrate to the Citadel?! Ah'm a citizen aren't Ah?"

The agent sighed and brought up something on her Omni-Tool.

"You are… somehow. I don't know how you did it, but your record clearly shows you were able to successfully Graduate from Illium's 3rd Youth Academy one week ago. You then emancipated yourself as an adult and passed the Citizenship Test. I'm genuinely shocked that someone so young could possibly achieve such a thing. You must be quite the child prodigy."

' _No, I'm just not who you expect I am,'_ Terith thought. Upon realizing her question still was left unanswered, she growled.

"Ah don't appreciate the flattery. Ah only want to know why Ah can't emigrate if Ah'm a citizen!"

The Asari looked unconcerned at the animosity and instead used her Omni-Tool to work the Haptic Interface of the Personal Terminal in front of her. When she finished searching for something, she turned the window to show a video of protesters outside the reconstructed Port Authority Building. Underneath the vid was an article titled "New Legislation to bolster funding and cut immigration in response to Protests".

"Recent changes to the Emigration and Immigration Policies after the "Quarian Incident" have resulted in harsher restrictions than before. One of these new policies prevents anyone in debt with the Government from leaving the planet until the debts are paid. This has already proven to reduce the number of people going in and out of the system, which will make it easier for the planned restructuring of the Port Authority Security. It also helped in solving the issue of where the money for the new Security Upgrades will be coming from. This move will no doubt increase the liquid assets available to the Government when the money is returned."

Terith paled, she knew what that would mean. With 280,000 Credits of debt and only Youth Academy training, it would take decades to pay it off as she was right now; even getting a full-time position was next to impossible. She could forget about trying to default on her debts of try to run away as well. Teema had to _die_ in order to get his people escape and Terith was no Migrant Fleet Marine. She would get caught and would experience something worse than death if she tried. The Government Repossession Task Force was something only heard in rumors but those rumors weren't good. They would no doubt ensure she gave them everything — even her collective organs — to get the Government's money back. Illium always ensured people paid their debts.

Terith tried to think her way out of the situation. ' _This is Illium, there has to be some loophole.'_

She had an idea.

"How can they do that? Didn't Illium go about signin' the Treaty of Irune to be part of the Galactic Economy? That allows debt to be deferred into other parts of Council Space, right? If Ah move my debt to the Citadel, wouldn't that allow me to leave?"

The agent looked shocked and faintly nodded.

"I'm surprised you know of the Debt-Transfer Provision. You're correct that it would free you of your debt and allow you to leave, but I wouldn't recommend it. While you can transfer your debt, whatever bank that takes on the debt is not obligated to maintain your interest rate."

She turned back her Personal Terminal screen and did something with her Omni-Tool.

"The current Interest Rate on your 'Maiden-Development' line-of-credit is… oh, right; you have the provisionary rate of 0.9% because you have yet to find a job. Anyway, if you were to transfer it, your poor credit and lack of Galactic Credits would make your debt very unappealing. The only rates I'm seeing from the Big Banks are at least 9.4% but you're more likely to end up with something closer to 14%."

Terith clenched her fists. ' _Even with a well-paying job — which I can't get right now — I would_ _ **never**_ _be able to pay that off. I would be in debt until I die!'_

"Ain't there any other way?! What about this new policy? Ain't there any sign of it changin'?"

The agent shook her head.

"Wounds like 'The Quarian Incident' take time to heal. Remember, a lot of Asari were affected by the Quarian Incident and we do not forget so easily. There is already a lot of condemnation by the Citadel Council on these immigration and emigration reforms, but Illium has never cared about those sorts of things in the past. There would have to be a lot of push-back by corporations and employees to repeal this sort of policy and… well, people who don't pay their debts aren't seen in a very good light to most, no offense."

Terith seethed with anger, but held back from shouting at the agent.

' _It isn't_ _ **her**_ _fault. No, every problem I've faced in this damn Universe is all the Quarians' fault! Even in death that_ _ **Terrorist**_ _is still ruining my life!'_

Instead, she forced herself to calm down.

 _'I- I've dealt with more than my fair share of setbacks, but I've overcome them all so far.'_

"W-what are my options?"

"Well, honestly the easiest method would be to just get a part-time job. I know a lot of Software Companies that would happily take on an Academy Graduate. Underage workers — especially Asari — can apply with local credit agencies to maintain your interest rate even when working part-time. It might even be possible to pay most of it off before it expires in 40 years."

" _40 years!_ How is that _convenient_ or _easy_?!"

"Well, it wouldn't require anything else on your part except doing the job… although factoring in living expenses; it could take closer to 90 years or more. Still, it is incredible that such a thing is actually feasible; most Asari have far more debt before they first start working. Why, when I was paying off _my_ debt, I had to-"

"There's no _way_ I'm doing that! Ah want off Illium as soon as possible, not put myself into Wage Slavery!"

The adult frowned at the assertion but remained professional.

"Well another way would be to apply for Bankruptcy. Doing so would put your debt into arbitration which would likely result in becoming a "Penal Citizen". That would mean being forced to join the Illium Mercenary Fleet to pay back your debt to society. Normally this is for criminals serving time for non-violent offenses, but it can also be used to wave-off debt. Last I heard, every year of work takes off 40,000 credits of debt on top of your salary. In a few years, your debt would be gone. Of course that would mean fighting Pirates and Slavers in the Terminus, but it is an important job. Defending the-"

"I'm doing all this crap to get **away** from the Terminus! Why the hell would I join up a band of under-equipped ex-Convicts to fight off Terminus Raiders?! That's suicide!"

The agent rolled her eyes, unamused by Terith's emotional response.

"Obviously bankruptcy shouldn't be your first choice; I doubt that you could even apply for it at your age considering your options. There is still one method left. Have you considered a Post-Secondary Education here on Illium? That was what the 'Maiden Development' line-of-credit was designed for after all: to create productive Asari Maidens."

Terith was about to retort, but came up short. She brought a hand to her face and groan.

' _You know what, why not? The reason I didn't want more Education on Illium was because I wanted to leave ASAP. But with this new policy? I would be putting myself in even more debt, but a_ _ _Post-Secondary Institution would probably be the safest place to be_. In the meantime, if I work part-time somewhere to pay off as much of my debts as possible, I might be off-planet even faster. It isn't what I wanted, but it is the best of this horrible situation. I've already spent 20 years on Illium and I haven't died yet. If I stay away from criminals, maybe I can survive for 5 or 10 more years?'_

"You've given me a lot to think about. I think I'll be going now."

The agent huffed in annoyance and gestured for the door, apparently glad to see her leave.

— AE —

 **Terith's Apartment, Nos Astra Slum District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 02-08-2559 GS**

An hour later, she found herself lay on her bed and staring at the slightly cracked ceiling of her dingy apartment.

The place was awful to look at, but it was the cheapest, most livable house she could find in the Slums. It was far away from the East-Side drug addicts that got into firefights in the early-morning hours and was close enough to the Wards District that she could get Police to her Apartment within 2 minutes if things got bad. Despite its dilapidated appearance, she ensured the rooms were clean and had no odors that would cause her any short-term discomfort. While going to and from the It was supposed to be temporary — somewhere to live for the month or two between graduating the Academy and getting her ticket off-planet — but now it was just another reminder of her that she shouldn't be here. She couldn't even afford the apartment; she had no job and it was just yet another expense added to her already enormous debt.

She already missed the Orphanage. Only a year ago she felt like anything was possible, but once she had graduated she vowed never to return to that place and this new policy wouldn't change her mind on that. She had been too complacent with her life and her dingy apartment served as more motivation to leave the planet. She had to do research to search for part-time work or Universities to attend. She had no time to waste; every second she didn't spend working to pay off her debt was another minute stuck on Illium.

Her future looked bleak.

' _It's going to take_ _ **years**_ _to graduate from a University or even a Trade School. Then it will take even more_ _ **years**_ _before I can leave the planet. I worked so hard to get graduate Youth Academy only to be stonewalled yet again. Damn Illium! Damn useless Quarians! Damn Teema!'_

She punched the wall in her frustration only for her fist to travel right through the pre-fab structure. She could practically see the Credits for the repairs adding to her debt. It seemed like everything she did only made things worse. She sighed and got up from her bed.

' _I need to blow off some steam.'_

— AE —

 **Lower Wards Gun Club Firing Range, Nos Astra Wards District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 02-08-2559 GS**

She fell into her usual routine for working through her issues.

She tried — at first — to do a little Calisthenics: to gain control of her situation through control of her body. However, while it relieved the need to punch something, it did nothing to distract her mind which wandered back onto dangerous thoughts. She had tried using Extranet dramas and comedy shows to drown her thoughts out, but this wasn't Earth. Even Extranet shows would be regularly interrupted with commercials and there were no Ad Blocker programs to stop it. News Programs, Product Placement, Political Activism; wherever she looked, she felt the ripples of her actions every time she was reminded of the Quarian Incident.

— — —  
" _Oh, oh, Lieutenant Isara! Over here!"_

" _Miss Terith, it is good to see you again."_

 _She reached out and gave the side of Terith's face a quick squeeze._

" _Ow! Stooooop!"_

" _Well, it looks good to go except for the corporate background check. That should save an hour at reception."_

" _Thanks! You're the best police-person ever!"_  
— — —

Without much else to do, she went to the local firing range. She always found it soothing to destroy faceless targets when she was angry like she was. It was just another method she used to reinforce her control.

The owner looked at her like she grew a second head when she asked for her "Bayonet" pistol to be registered with their club, but shrugged and did it anyway when she paid in advance. Terith was glad that her newly minted Adulthood was at least useful for _something_. Illium was a lot of things, but one thing it was not was highly regulated. Once she became an adult — no matter her age — she could do anything she wanted: from gun ownership to drugs to… other things. She tried not to think of all the _other_ ways a young Asari — even a child — could make fast and easy money in the city.

Taking the pistol, she walked up to one of the booths and used her Omni-Tool to set up the simulation. Only when the simulation was ready did the booth lock and her pistol activate letting her fire it. With the gun in her hand, she was reminded of all the scenarios that had passed through her head for the last few days.

 _'If only I wasn't such a coward, I might use this to rob a bank or even other people. It isn't like anyone in this damn city is actually completely innocent, not if they're here of their own free will. At this point, I would do **anything** just to get out of here… but I've already experienced first-hand of the lengths Illium will go to stop crime.'_

She picked up where she had left off in an earlier session: 10 meters with target movement, 2 seconds, 4 shots.

' _I guess quickness and accuracy are more important than distance for Pistols? I suppose it makes sense since I'll probably only be using it in self-defense and in close-quarters on a ship or in an alleyway. I guess that's why Teema-'_

She cut thoughts off at that and shook her head to try to clear her thoughts. She activated her Omni-Tool and engaged the simulation. It would announce a buzzer sometime between 5 and 10 seconds after it was activated. After the buzzer she would draw and fire her first shot to gauge her gun's effectiveness and error.

*Beep*

She quickly drew the pistol from its holster and she got into her firing stance.

*Bang*

A Mass Accelerated slug fired from Terith's pistol and into a distant metal shape, hitting just off from the center-mass. After the first shot, the piece of metal began to move quickly from left to right.

*Bang-Bang-Bang-Bang*

*Beep*

With the 2 seconds over, the target disappeared back into the ground. Before it did, she noted that while none of her shots missed, they didn't hit well. They were glancing blows at the edges or hit the outer concentric rings which made up the target centered on the metal slab. She put the pistol's safety on, holstered the weapon and checked the result.

— — —  
" _Far from a perfect 1000, but you are making good progress so far, princess. Good job. You keep this up and you'll be shooting like a Marine in no time."_  
— — —

Terith clenched her teeth and used her Omni-Tool to start another round. She calmed herself down and took the safety off the Pistol yet again. She waited patiently for the target to reappear.

*Beep*

*Bang-Bang-Bang-Bang-Bang*

*Beep*

She barely waited for the target to come up before firing again. This time, only one of the five shots actually made it on target. By the time she was finished, her hands were shaking terribly. She put the safety on, but didn't wait for the results to appear before putting the pistol onto the table next to her.

— — —  
" _Let me go again!" she cheered. "Ah know Ah can do better this time!"_

" _I think that's enough for today. The sun's already setting and I know you have your Academy classes tomorrow."_  
— — —

"Damnit!" she yelled and slammed a fist onto the table. The nearby customers were startled out of their concentration at her outburst but she didn't pay attention to them.

' _Why can't I just forget about him! It's been months! He almost had me killed! When will that bastard just leave me alone?!'_

She stormed out of the range. It took over an hour for her hands to stop shaking.

— AE —

She stewed in her anger and fear for a while, wandering around the Wards District, desperate for something to take her mind off of things. She searched for places which would hire her so she could at least work off some of her debt until she found a good Post-Secondary Institution to learn from, but there was nothing. Most places laughed her out of their stores just by looking at her and hearing her accent. The few that didn't weren't going to let her work during a University's off-hours. She needed Post-Secondary education more than work. The remaining ones, however, were all too eager to agree to any of her demands, but only if they could taking her to a back room to "try something on". She had enough experience growing up in the Slums and her old life to get the hell away from those places as fast as she could.

It was during this tour of the city that she found what she was after. Something that would make her stronger and give her mind some much needed distraction before she entered into University.

She walked through the doors of the Biotics Training Gym.

AE

 **Codex Entry - Economics: Illium Maiden-Development Program  
** _Excerpt from Terminus Monthly: v2162.4 GS_

This month, the Nos Astra Government — a colony founded on the planet Illium in the Terminus System over 20 years ago — has announced the reveal of a revolutionary economic initiative called the "Maiden-Development Program". This marks the first time a Council program has ever taken effect in a Terminus System.

The program's origins begin with Alania Defense — an Asari weapons manufacturer and founding member of the Illium's Corporate Government — posting record profits selling firearms to Terminus Warlords. By Council Law, the corporation is considered illegal and so cannot spend any corporate profits to invest or purchase anything within Council Space. This has left the company sitting on over 10 billion Credits worth of unused assets. Over the past few years, this has been the source of great concern for the Council when some of this wealth was reportedly used to fund many of the recent attacks on colonies in the Traverse. To avoid an all-out war with the Terminus Systems, these 'investments' have gone unhindered until now.

In a widely controversial move, the Citadel and Alania have come to a compromise on the issue with this new initiative. The Council has agreed to allow the use of this 'dirty money' to invest in the development of as many Asari orphans as they want. As of this writing, this investments comes in the form of an ultra-low 0.9% interest line-of-credit marked at 900,000 Credits per orphan but has been budgeted to adjust for inflation.

The incentive for illegal enterprise is simple. While the Council is free of the burden in supporting these orphans for decades, so long as the money used to pay off the debts are from honest employment when the Asari grow up, all these Credits are legal profit. This gives Egress and other illegal corporations a legal avenue to launder their money.

Regardless of the morality of the program, its effectiveness cannot be understated. An unprecedented 12,446 orphans already participate, greatly relieving the tax burden on dozens of planets and that number is only expected to grow. Illium itself is also undergoing a population boom as hundreds of orphans from the Traverse and Terminus have immigrated to Illium to participate as well: by building the assets which house the orphans, they can even more effectively control their profits. At the rate it is going currently, it might be possible for Illium to become the most populous planet in the Terminus in only a few decades.

At this time, it is unclear if any other species' orphans will be added to the program and if there will be a limit on the amount of money that can be sponsored by Illium.

Time will tell if this Program will be the start of friendly Terminus relations which may someday lead to their joining of the Council, or an unmitigated failure which sees the unchecked growth of anarchy on the Council's borders.

— AE —

 **Author's Note:** This idea of mine I thought of as an explanation for some of Illium's success (that orphans in Mass Effect are the product of a Galaxy-wide laundering scheme) was actually the core concept which drove me to make this series. Considering the types of things the Council allows to happen (*cough* slavery *cough*), this sort of thing is certainly not out-of-character for them.


	7. Arc 2: Ch 2

**Crashing Waves Biotic Training Gym, Nos Astra Wards District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 02-08-2559 GS  
** _Perspective - Ice-Cold Biotic Badass - Matron Aethyta - Asari Biotics Instructor - 984 Years Old_

The Gym was a spartanly decorated room. Apart from the row of mirrors on one wall and the door leading to a back room, every remaining surface was covered in fall-mats. In the middle were a number of Batarians and Volus going through the motions of martial arts: they bodies faintly glowing with the blue energy of Biotics.

While the motions weren't necessary, Aethyta — the owner and instructor — knew from experience that Biotics were learned faster with action rather than thought. While it was possible to simply "think deeply" to learn a Biotic Power, it took decades and was ultimately a waste of time. There was a scientific reason behind it, something to do with the Implanted Cerebellum's "neuroplasticity in fine-adjusted motor-learning" and "cybernetic neural-adaptation of Implanted cellular automotive networks" but she wasn't a scientist. She had forgotten most of those lessons from her Commando mother on the topic centuries ago. The Implant was designed to mimic — as best as possible — an Asari's Biotic Network, and so she trained her students like she would if they were Asari Mercenaries. She had yet to see any problems with her methods.

As for her rationale behind the room's layout, her training methods were sometimes brutal and slapping her students with the occasional _Singularity_ or _Throw_ kept them in line. Keeping anything destructible in the room would only get it broken. She had few belongings on Illium anyway. Anything important to her was kept on her more "permanent" home in Thessia, even if she lived on Illium more often than not.

She shared a space there with her illicit lover — Matron Benezia — and visited as much as she allowed herself. The two of them couldn't be seen with one another often for fear of the consequences; a tale as old as time. While Aethyta didn't care, the fear of their _pureblood_ _relationship_ causing political controversy was constantly on Benezia's mind. Due to that, they only occasionally visited each other. At least that's what they agreed upon.

In reality, her decision to stay on Illium was less about the danger and more about the environment. The Matron couldn't stand the Homeworld's stifling culture and stuck-up people and needed time to herself to work through things. She might not be a Mercenary out in the Terminus anymore, but there were still a few things she enjoyed. Things like yelling at stupid people for doing stupid things. Unlike the idiot politicians in Thessia, however, her students actually listened to her.

She turned to one of the Batarians.

"Jorek, unless you're lightly caressing your enemy I suggest you tighten up that Warp."

"Yes sir!"

Most gyms were designed with "civilian" and "spiritual" use in mind. Biotics were a common means for weight loss or spiritual enlightenment. Most people wanting combat applications went to join mercenary or military schools for training.

Aethyta wasn't having that bullshit.

As far as she was concerned, unless Biotics Training ended with the ability to rip someone apart at the cellular level and preventing others from doing the same, then it wasn't worth her time. The _Crushing Waves_ was strictly for combat applications. Unfortunately, her students were rarely prepared for that.

She went to one of the Volus students and gave a rough tap to his knees with her foot. The act caused the student to topple over.

"Sal Ran… I tell you again and _again_ : focus on your center of balance. Your Barrier isn't going to be stopping shit if you are knocked over by a little love tap _._ "

"But how can I *gasp* do that and sustain *gasp* the Barrier Field?"

"I thought you Volus were supposed to be experts at managing resources. Figure it out."

Aethyta was training yet another class of losers that would never cut it in real combat. It was her own fault though. She only trained non-Asari which meant the class was always filled with Batarians and Volus that were simply not powerful enough to compete. Any of the non-Asari species with real Biotic potential would be immediately taken in by their respective militaries and groomed for success. She was left with the dregs.

' _But at least the Batarians and Volus here actually_ _ **try**_ _. Every Asari Maiden that wants to join is just another pretty face wasting their potential. They just use my Gym to take out their irritation from shaking their asses for money rather than developing useful skills.'_

She shook her head and sighed.

' _I can't help but get pissed off; they remind me too much of my younger self. One day, they will wake up and find themselves without Credits and without skills. They will join the Mercenaries and — if they're lucky — they'll live to be a cold bitch like me instead of in a bloody ditch out in the Terminus.'_

She balled her hands into fists in frustration.

 _'They're everything that's wrong with the Republics. They should be using the best years of their lives studying, learning and working, not "discovering themselves". Not one Asari lifetime has gone by that didn't involve a massive war, yet the Republics spend all their money debating and "exploring the arts" as though the temporary peace they have maintained will go on forever. Fucking idiots, all of them.'_

She was never this political in the past. She had been a mercenary for most of her life in the Terminus. Politics there was deciding whether to shooting someone in the head or the leg sent a better message. For the past few years, however, she had taken political action and found herself arguing in front of the Asari Republic on internal policy and the Asari's place in the Galaxy. They didn't listen, but her activism was starting to change the minds of a lot of Maidens. For the first time in her life, she felt that she was truly making a difference. Aethyta wasn't sure whether it was simply budding Matriarch tendencies, but whatever it was it made her truly love Benezia for that. It wasn't something she could conceptualize — even with her almost 1000 years of experience — but the feelings were real.

' _Huh, maybe that's why I haven't gone back. The next time I return to Thessia I might just marry Nezi. If only to smear our pureblood relationship in the faces of those arrogant pricks on the Homeworld.'_

Those happy thoughts had no place on the floor of her Gym, especially when another Asari maiden entered her gym.

' _Damnit, there goes my good mood for the day.'_

The Asari was a little younger than she was used to and didn't have the same air of arrogance about her that most Maidens had. She had a dead look about her that she knew came from long-nights partying. She waited off to the side, which let her finish yelling at her other students. Once she was satisfied, she went to meet the young upstart to hear her proposition and put her in her place.

"What do you want?"

The young Asari had enough grace to look nervous.

"Ah was considerin' joinin' your Gym."

Aethyta grimaced at the sound of the child's voice.

' _Urgh, that horrible_ _accent is like a kick to the quad. At least the other Maidens that tried to apply knew our language. Has this kid done anything worthwhile in her life?'_

"Oh really, and why do you want to do that? Are you not confident in your abilities?"

"Actually… Ah'm not sure if Ah have any Biotics at all…"

The Matron sighed.

' _That's what I thought, nothing worthwhile at all. This will be quick.'_

"Look kid, I'm not a damn counselor. I'm not going to just sit around and waste my time teaching you if you haven't got your shit together already." She gestured towards the door. "Just get out of here."

The child actually had the nerve to glare. On an older Asari it might have come off as determination, but on the child it just came off like an angry pout instead.

"Ah'm not lookin' to be a Charity Case. Ah have a condition that prevents me from doin' Biotics naturally. Ah notice that ya have a bunch of non-Asari in your Gym so maybe ya might know of someplace that would do implants and stuff on an Asari like me. Ah'm a little nervous of havin' the brain surgery and won't enjoy the pricetag, but Ah _need_ this."

Aethyta raised an eyebrow. ' _Never heard of_ _ **that**_ _excuse before, but I'll humor the kid. She's pretty young and has a quad, that's a step up from the other useless sacks of blue crap that normally show up at my doorstep.'_

"You know what, I _do_ know a few doctors. I know you aren't telling the truth, but if you want to keep this act going, here's what I've told my other students…"

— AE —

 **Arinya Memorial General Hospital, Nos Astra Wards District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 21-08-2559 GS  
** _Perspective - Newly-Implanted with a Biotic Neural-Interface - Terith - Asari Orphan - 20 Years Old_

It would be two weeks before Terith could even _consider_ going back to the Biotic Training Gym she had found. Even now as she lay in her hospital bed, she felt more like throwing up then returning.

She had not lied to the Matron Instructor when she said she was nervous about the surgery. There had been an unspoken taboo deeply ingrained in her about changing the brain into something unnatural. Neurosurgery in her old life was a necessity; something she would only need if the alternative was death. Her brain was the most important part of herself; it _was_ herself in all the ways that mattered. She would have no qualms about fully-replacing a heart or a limb in exchange for Biotics, but she was far more hesitant at the thought of having a doctor poke and prod at her brain. She feared it would make her less of a person somehow, that it would make her even less of a human than she already was.

She got the implant anyway.

' _I saw what that Matron could do: Throws, Warps, Singularities; all without breaking a sweat. If I could do even a tenth of what she could, I would have a lot less to worry about. These are literal superpowers we're talking about here, I can't afford_ _ **not**_ _to have them in this fucked up world.'_

She had to go to a number of neurosurgeons before she found one that could work around her "medical condition". While the makeup of her human-like brain made natural biotics impossible, there was still enough of an underdeveloped Biotic Network in the Cerebellum that most of the standard Asari implants would function correctly if built on top of the existing network. It appeared that at least _parts_ of her brain were Asari, but that made sense. If her brain was all human, it would be impossible to flex her gills or to send the signals necessary to secrete the binding mucus in her scalp to ward off infection.

As for the implant itself, she was surprised at how common conditions like hers actually were. One-in-Ten-Thousand Asari benefitted from Implants and so the market for them was as large as it was for the Salarians or the Turians. It was why Asari Biotic Amp manufacturers were the best: they had been doing it the longest from a time before the Council even existed.

She had listened to the corporate information on the various implant types and read the digital pamphlets; she looked through the catelogues and chose the best average-spec model she could find reviews about. She did not trust the highly-specialized prototypes or the untested non-Asari models, even if that meant her Biotic Powers would be a little more limited in the future. She wasn't about to flip a very expensive coin with her brain on the line: she would need both her mind and her money if she planned on completing University.

Instead she got a mid-range civilian model. It could do the Warps and even Singularities with Centuries of practice, but it required more concentration and a longer cool-down time to perform them. Having a lower-tier implant wasn't terrible in the long run, though. Biotic Amps were designed to make inferior Implants work better anyway.

The procedure itself was quick and painless. She sat on a table, a machine administered sleeping gas and 20 minutes later, she woke up with the back of her neck numb from anesthetic. It was like a tooth extraction surgery she had back on Earth and she felt stupid for even considering that she was in and danger. The Surgery wouldn't have been so well used if people noticed their loved ones suddenly become different people afterwards.

In fact, she felt so good, she almost ignored the neurosurgeon in charge when he insisted that she stay under observation. She didn't notice anything different initially, but after a day she began to feel lethargic and it only got worse from there. As the anesthetic wore off and her immune system began to fight the foreign cybernetic material, she was stuck with a week of fevers, anti-rejection medication and eating liquid food before she began to recover. The neurosurgeon was confident, however, that the treatment was a success.

' _I can_ _do Biotics now! That makes all the pain worth it… even the 68,000 Credit price-tag…'_

The neurosurgeon warned her not to attempt to perform Biotics without professional supervision. It was why she had not even _considered_ Biotics while she was sick. She had researched and found all sorts of horror stories on the Extranet. The last thing she needed to do was crush herself to death with an untrained _Barrier_ while she could barely move.

Terith was better now, and so she slowly got up off her hospital bed, out of her hospital clothes, and then showered and dressed. While she still felt weak — and the nurse who approved of her release said as much — she was also an adult with no time to lose. She already knew what waiting around had done.

While she was recovering, she had nothing but time to research all the various Biotic Powers that she could possibly do. Like before, she was forced to think about and relive her hostage taking. However, this time, when she reran it in her head again and again, she fantasized about how she could have _Thrown_ or _Pushed_ Teema away in the nick-of-time and into the waiting arms of the police. She imagined the Quarian Incident policy never existing and her graduating from a Citadel University as an esteemed Doctor or a Businesswomen and living a safe and carefree life. If she had just been a little faster, had lived a little safer, or was a little more motivated, she could have been living that life.

It was these thoughts that drove her to action now. Once her release was filled, she quickly walked out of the hospital and in the direction of the Biotic Training Gym. She had a better future to win.

— AE —

 **Crashing Waves Biotic Training Gym, Nos Astra Wards District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 21-08-2559 GS**

Terith got a lot of looks as she walked into the gym, and none of them were good.

She knew why; as she passed by the gym's mirrors she could see it: flushed skin and a gaunt face looked back at her. Despite her terrible complexion she strode confidently into the Gym and stood off to one corner. She had come here to show off superpowers, not her good looks and there was only one person she needed to impress. It seemed to have gotten the Instructor's attention as she quickly finished ordering the students around before making her way towards the weakened Asari.

"So the prodigal daughter returns. You look like shit. Well, do you have anything to show for your absence these last few weeks, or are you just here to tell me you're sorry for wasting my time?"

Rather than respond, Terith closed her eyes and thought back to the neurosurgeon's instructions.

' _Keep relaxed, focus on your sense of touch, and then just that sense guide you._ _ _The implant connects your nerves in the Thalamus and Cerebellum to your Eezo Nodules._ This is designed to give you a new sense; a "second-skin" so to speak. If you do not focus on this sense, you will not perform any Biotics. You brain will need to adapt to the implant, but since the implant creates a number of connections you have never used before, there is no need to worry about it accidentally activating._

 _'It will take time to properly understand and use those feelings to generate controlled Mass Effect Fields, but even in the early stages it should at least be visible. Ensure that you only do this in front of a trained professional. It sometimes takes other Biotics to control Biotics, and until you are properly trained, you will need the assistance.'_

She closed her eyes and let her muscles loosen. She focused on her sense of touch and could already feel a tingling beneath her skin. Then there was nothing. She let out a breath.

' _I'm not sure what I should be doing here. Should I try imagining a 'Pushing' feeling out of my pores? Should I be yelling and 'powering-up' like some Japanese Anime? I don't-'_

Then she felt it.

Like thousands of burning needles, she felt something around her. Her eyes opened in shock and all she could see was blue light all around her. She could hear something yelling out and only belatedly realized it was her. Another voice added to the cacophony of light and sound. It was like a synesthesia: she could hear the wind from her skin and see the sounds.

It was too much for her brain to comprehend and she collapsed; darkness and pain filling her entire being.

— AE —

She woke up to find herself on a bed, but not the one in her apartment or even the hospital.

She looked around to find a room bereft of possessions. The only thing in the room that did not serve a practical purpose was a simple Holo-projector picture stand which contained a portrait of two Asari laughing while they leaned against a railing overlooking a lake. She recognized one of the Asari as the Instructor of the Gym.

' _The Instructor must have brought me to her room when I passed out.'_

She groaned as she adjusted herself in the bed. Her skin felt hot and raw with a tingling pain; the 'pins-and-needles' kind of pain that she sometimes felt in her legs after sitting down for a long time.

' _I did_ _ **not**_ _expect Biotics to feel like being flayed alive! What the hell was that?! Is that what Biotics actually feel like to everyone? Are they just used to the searing pain?'_

She thought on that for a few minutes as the sharp, tingling sensation slowly left her skin. The door to the room opened and the Instructor entered the room. She held a tray of food and water which she put off to a bedside table.

"Well you certainly have my attention now, brat. I don't know what you were trying to pull by _Warping_ yourself, but it's an image I'll have in my mind a good long while; and I had thought I'd seen everything."

"So ya mean that it ain't suppose to feel like needles bein' jabbed into me?"

The Matron rolled her eyes.

"Not usually, no. Didn't the doctor tell you of the risks?"

Terith shook her head and regretted not asking more questions. She had assumed it would be completely safe with so many people using them.

"He didn't tell me nothin' except that Ah had to have supervision."

The Instructor sighed and stood up, looking out of a window for a moment before looking back at her.

"You might have noticed that I don't have any Asari in my class. That isn't an accident. All the Maidens that have come my way are all confident enough in their _prodigious talents_ that they don't know the definition of hard work. Then you come along and nearly kill yourself trying to prove you actually have a quad. Well, you do, congratulations. You've also proven to me that you are ignorant and possibly suicidal."

She shook her head and stared right into the child's eyes.

"But that's enough of my rambling. I _will_ teach you the bare minimum to keep you from killing yourself, but any more than that will require you to prove your worth. It will mean going through so much effort that the pain you experienced today will be a fond memory. Do you still want me to teach you Biotics?"

Terith did not take the threat as a joke. She might not have known the Matron very well, but her students universally feared her.

' _Do I still want this, after the pain I went through? Would it be worth it just to be able to defend myself?'_

It was hardly a question, even in her mind. She _needed_ Biotics; just pistol training or rudimentary technical skills wouldn't save her if she was taken hostage again. She wouldn't be able to hold her own against a Turian or a Krogan if they came charging at her. At the very least, the pain would keep her from thinking about the _Incident_.

She stared up at the Matron and nodded humorlessly.

The Instructor — on the other hand — had a fierce smirk.

"Good. You will pay me my usual rate of 80 Credits for each hour-long session. I may be doing you a favor, but I'm not a charity; not that I expect much from you. The name's Matron Aethyta by-the-way. Usually it is common courtesy to introduce yourself but I don't imagine I'll remember your name when you drop out in a week."

Terith blushed and looked away. She had not even realized she only knew her as "The Matron" and "The Instructor". Instead of giving an excuse, she muttered her name.

Aethyta shook her head and pulled the younger Asari up from the bed by her lapels. Terith was about to ask what she was doing when a purplish-blue light enveloped her. Suddenly, she found herself unable to move a muscle; she couldn't even move her lips. Only her eyes could move and they looked up at the powerful biotic with fear.

' _Is this a Statis?! What is she doing?!'_

The Matron Asari moved up to within an inch of her face and spoke in a soft — yet threatening — whisper.

"Well _Terith_ , I don't know why you want to learn Biotics at your young age and I don't care. Do you know how annoyed I was that my encouragement almost caused your arrogant ass to kill yourself?"

Terith could only let out a high-pitched groan in response.

"Oh, you better _believe_ you're on my shit-list now.

"So you had better hope you're prepared to face an endless _hell_ that will make you _wish_ that you died on my gym floor today. You will not use your implant —you will not even _think_ of Biotics — until you are in my Gym. If you do? Well, let's just say that I didn't get my Biotics by shaking my ass in a bar. I was born and _raised_ Terminus. They won't even find your body."

The Matron let go of the _Stasis_ and dropped the groaning Asari back onto the bed. Not being able to move her body after already almost tearing it apart had caused Terith's entire form to cry out in pain. She was a mess.

As Aethyta turned to leave the room. She spoke a few parting words without looking back.

"I left some food and water on the tray there. Eat up and _get out_. Your training starts tomorrow. The sooner you eat, the less likely you'll throw it back up on my training floor."

She left the room and shut the door.

Quickly, Terith began eating, but she did so slowly and with an intense feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach.

' _What the hell have I gotten myself into?'_

— AE —

 **Terith's Apartment, Nos Astra Slum District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 01-09-2559 GS  
** _Perspective - Youngest Asari Youth Academy Graduate - Terith - Asari Orphan - 21 Years Old_

 **2 Weeks Later**

It was Terith's 21st birthday, and it was definitely a day to celebrate.

After two non-stop weeks of applying to various Post-Secondary Institutions and training with her Matron Taskmaster, the _Nos Astra University of Science_ had accepted her application. She would soon be able to add "Youngest Asari to ever attend University" to her short list of "achievements". While the acceptance letter did not _explicitly_ state that her age was a consideration in her admission, she imagined it definitely gave her a significant edge over her competitors. It wasn't fair — especially since her grades were pretty average — but some people bought their way through school. She didn't feel guilty about using every advantage she could get when the Universe did everything it could to knock her down.

As for her "major", she had a number of options to choose from, but few were realistic to consider. With VIs and robots managing many of basic Design, Medical and Biotic tasks, only people with Double- or Triple-Doctorates had any chance of a good career in those fields. While she had been interested in working with Biotics or Electronics, the level of expertise and education required would have taken _decades_ to complete; decades she did not want to consider spending on Illium. With the options remaining, she decided to major in _Ship Engineering_.

' _I hate to admit it, but the Quarians' love of starships rubbed off on me. I honestly could see myself working on starships forever and not get bored. Fusion Reactors, Element Zero Drive Cores, Power Systems and Weapons, what's not to love? Not only that, but starship maintenance and design are things I already know about from my time with the Quarians_ _… I don't like thinking about it much, but my best method of revenge against Teema and those damned Quarians would be to use the knowledge they gave me to my advantage_ _. If the university curriculum is correct, I could definitely skip a few of the introductory classes with the knowledge I have. The best part of all, is that I would be on Illium as little as possible. Ship Engineers are assigned to ships which travel all over and often get a lot of overtime work.'_

She giggled to herself at the absurdity of looking _forward_ to overtime.

' _If someone told me on Earth that I would_ _ **willingly**_ _choose a career which had me working long hours in a foul-smelling engine room, I would have said they were crazy. I would have probably said that about a lot of things in my life now…'_

As Terith got up off her stiff mattress and got showered and dressed, she tried not to reminisce about her circumstances. She wasn't stupid, she knew her emotions were taking control and not thinking about it was only delaying the inevitable, but thinking only seemed to make things worse. A psychotic gunman had taken her hostage and made a whole _planet_ feel unsafe.

As she got out of the shower, she realized there was nothing left to be done in this apartment. She had already packed her meager belongings and had them shipped to her new University dorm. This would likely be the last time she would ever sleep in the dingy apartment ever again. She wouldn't miss it, instead she packed her pajamas into a backpack along with her gym clothes and locked the door behind her as she left.

There was a lot to do: give the keys to the apartment back to the block manager, move into her dorm, and survive Aethyta's daily Hell Training™.

She was not looking forwards to yet another Training Session with the Sadistic Matron, but as she left her dingy apartment behind, for the first time in what felt like a long time she had hope that things were getting better.

— AE —

 **Student Dorm 442-6, Nos Astra University of Science, Nos Astra Core District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 02-09-2559 GS  
** _Perspective - Youngest Asari to attend University - Terith - Asari Orphan - 21 years old_

It was Terith's second time moving into a University dorm room, but while she saw many similarities, the differences stood out even more.

On Earth, she'd moved in with a huge array of electronics, video games, kitchenware and more. Her dorm was shared between a few other students that she'd made friends with over the first few months. She relished in her first attempts — both successful and unsuccessful — in becoming independent. She had made her own meals, created her own schedule and did her own laundry for the first time. Her parents had even paid for everything the government didn't; she had no debts to speak of. It was a time of exploration and learning that she looked back on with fondness.

On Illium, all her belongings could fit into a single large box. Her dorm was a tiny space she had all to herself with _Food Dispensers_ which created food to order. The food created would be bland and cheap but she did not want to waste her time cooking when she could use that time getting ahead. In one corner of the bedroom was a _Projector Headset_ which could display things in a virtual reality environment. Her classes would all be done in Virtual Reality to save everyone time and the University money. If Terith wanted, she could eat, work and sleep without ever leaving her dorm at all.

 _'It isn't a comparison I particularly like. If I was a little younger, I might have even fallen into severe depression. However, I've been through depression and University before and the only cure is focus, a goal and positive outlets. My focus and goal is to leave Illium, and my outlets are Biotics Training and Pistol practice. I'm already half-way to the finish line. The Turians can get through the program in only six years and I already know almost everything there is to know about starships over the two years I spent with the Quarians. There is no reason I can't do it in less time than that. If I do nothing but study and then nothing but work, I can be off Illium in 10 years.'_

She looked at the chronometer on her Omni-Tool and realized she had no time to waste.

 _'Well, not time to waste. The introductory lecture should be starting soon.'_

She quickly synchronized her Omni-Tool to the Projector Headset and placed the latter around her tentacle-crested scalp and onto her gill-like ears. She dropped down the orange-tinted visor and was transported into another world.

— AE —

 **Virtual Lecture Hall 41, Nos Astra University of Science, Nos Astra Core District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 02-09-2559 GS**

Virtual Reality was disappointing, although that was mostly her fault. She had chosen the cheapest Projector Headset she could buy and it showed. Looking through her visor and hearing through the headset, she found herself looking at a holographic projection that looked and sounded real enough, but did not pretend to be anything it wasn't.

The virtual lecture hall she found herself in had no imperfections; no small deviations in the design of the metal desk in front of her or the plastic paneling of the walls around her. As she looked around the room, she saw hundreds of aliens of all species were sitting in metal desks identical to hers. Several of them were even talking to one-another; their faces fully expressive and lifelike in the virtual world.

Terith, on the other hand, appeared as a simple glowing sphere which hovered above her desk. She could manipulate the objects around her, but her arms did not appear. The Haptic Holographic projections did provide some resistance when her Omni-Tool-Covered hands tried to pass through them, but they didn't provide enough resistance that she couldn't if she tried.

It if hadn't been already clear to her that she was the odd one out by being the only VR avatar without a form, she could already see and hear a number of other students talking about her behind her back.

' _What do I care anyway? So I look like a formless blob, it isn't like people looking at me strangely is anything new. Now that I think about it, without cameras letting other people know what I look like, I've probably made my life a lot easier. I'm not in University to make friends, but to graduate quickly and get the hell of this planet as fast as possible.'_

Deciding that was all to be thought on that, she turned to her Omni-Tool and went over the syllabus again. As the remaining desks filled in, a Salarian appeared at the front of the hall behind the podium at the other end of the room. He waited for the students to quiet down before speaking.

"Hello and welcome. I'm Mordum Kalsan and I will be your lecturer. This is the ASE101 course: _An Introduction to Aeronautics and Spaceship Engineering_. This course will discuss the types of aircraft and spacecraft that exist and how engineering methods can be used to design, repair and upgrade their components. To begin with…"

As the Salarian talked, he put up a holographic screen which showed pictures and videos of the topic as he discussed them. The more he spoke of the course and the various future courses on offer, Terith could feel herself wanting to yawn and log out already. She was already beginning to calculate the savings she would be making by skipping this and other courses and how little time she would be needing to work in the future.

' _Forget about 6 years, if all the courses are like this, then this time next year, I will already be graduated!'_

— AE —

 **Crashing Waves Biotic Training Gym, Nos Astra Wards District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 02-09-2559 GS**

Terith's running began to slow to a crawl as she felt the gravity on her double in size. While she had been making good progress until then even under worse conditions, that had been over an hour ago and now her entire lower body was nothing but pain.

"You call that running? You should just quit now and stop wasting my time."

Contrasting the trivially easy VR lecture she'd taken part in, Terith was working harder than she had in either of her lifetimes under Matron Aethyta's "guidance". She had done a little track in High School and Calisthenics in her free time, but it was nothing like the misery she found herself under the watchful eyes of the Sadistic Asari.

They were alone in the back of the _Crushing Waves_ where the implements of the instructor's torture lay. What appeared to be simple treadmills and weights were actually biotically-attuned weapons completely under the Matron's control. With a mere thought, a comfortable jog could be turned into a breakneck sprint or a difficult pull-up could become a final grasp upon the precipice of a crushing fall. With the older Asari's complete control over Biotics, nothing was safe from manipulation.

This was why the 10k run she was performing — something somewhat difficult but achievable with her normally fit physique — was impossible when she could suddenly find her body weighing twice as much at any moment. She knew that there was no accident in the level of difficulty either: the evil smirk on the Matrons face gave that away as clear as day.

' _That bitch just_ _ **wants**_ _me to quit, doesn't she?! I've never seen any of her non-Asari students breaking their backs on these suicidal exercises. Why does she have it out for me? It can't be because of any biotic proficiency; I haven't even been allowed to do any Biotics since I passed out on her Gym floor. Could it really just be because of that?! Why do I have to put up with this?!'_

She tried to look on the bright side, however slim it was to her at the moment.

 _'I have to remember that there's a reason I asked for this. Aethyta's almost a Matriarch and is the Biotic equivalent of an Olympic Althlete. I haven't gotten hurt yet, so she has to know what she's doing, right? I'm sure the results will speak for themselves…'_

As the treadmill beeped — signalling the end of the 10 kilometer run — Terith collapsed into a puddle of sweat on the floor. This was especially impressive since Asari sweat less than 10% as much as humans did; being as Aquatic as they were, Asari always had easy access to water to cool off. Once she was able to catch her breath for a minute and bringing a wet towel to her face, she glared at her Matron instructor accusingly.

"W-we've been doing this for hours. Look, the 10k runs and strength training is nice — and Ah'm bein' _really_ sarcastic when Ah say that — but when am Ah goin' to get to Biotics Training? That's what Ah'm here for, ain't it?"

 _'Up until now, I've only been given the bare minimum necessary to avoid another Biotic mishap. When am I going to get to the **real** training?'_

Aethyta gave her a condescending look and shook her head.

"You haven't done anything to show me you're ready for that level of commitment. You already almost killed yourself on my floor and you have yet to tell me what your intentions are. You say you _need_ this training, but the way I see it, you're just a brat that got herself implanted far too young to handle her powers. A few weeks isn't going to change my mind about that."

Terith never stopped glaring, but the effect was greatly reduced by her exhaustion.

' _Damnit, if I want to protect myself, I need every advantage I can get, and I need them **now**. Psychopaths like Teema aren't going to wait while I waste my time. Still, I have already looked all around the city and — as much as I hate to say it — no one is better at Biotics in Illium than Aethyta and no better Gyms than the Crushing Waves for combat. Still, two weeks should be long enough, there has to be **something** I can do to convince her!'_

"Wha- What do Ah need to do to convince ya? Ah- Ah've done everythin' ya asked of me and more."

Aethyta put a finger to her chin in a thinking pose. Terith could easily tell by the mocking, sarcastic way she held herself that she was only doing it for show.

"Well there is _one_ thing I could think of to help."

Terith tried to keep the desperation out of her voice, but it was impossible with how tired she was. It wouldn't have helped anyway, Terith knew she just wanted to see her beg. Everything the Matron did was Sadistic in some way and her instructor became more agreeable when she gave in.

"Ah'll do _anything_. Just- just tell me what Ah need to do."

Her instructor smirked in response. Aethyta brought up her Omni-Tool and forwarded her an email.

"I have sent you some contact information to a Maiden I trust to give you lessons to remove your terrible accent. I have made my opinion on your accent clear, but I did not realize exactly how much I would hate it until I had been with you for a few weeks."

' _Could she really be so petty that she is mercilessly breaking me down physically and holding me back from teaching me Biotics just because she doesn't like my accent?! I don't have time for even **more** training! The whole point of this was because I **didn't** want to waste any more time!'_

She attempted to cut her instructor off and explain this to her, but her mentor's forcefulness combined with her tiredness made it impossible.

"She has already agreed to help solve your little 'problem', but she's a very busy Asari and so you _will_ make the time to see her. I have informed her that you will be available in the next few hours. You can arrange your future lessons from there. If I do not hear significant improvements over the next few months, then you will leave this gym without any Bionics Training… how unfortunate."

"Ah… Ah'm not sure if Ah can-"

"Do I make myself clear?"

Terith bit back another retort and just sighed instead. She nodded her head in submission.

' _Fixing my accent is something I would have to do anyway. I might as well start now. The plan hasn't changed. The next few years might not be easy, but I just need to keep my head down, learn all I can, then get a job. It will be boring, it won't be fun, but it will be safe.'_

For someone like Terith, that was all she wanted from this crazy Universe.

— AE —

 **Codex Entries - Mass Effect: Non-Asari Biotics, Biotic Implants and Biotic Amps  
** _Excerpt from the Turian Hierarchy's Guide: Assets and their Deployment_

Biotic-Capable members of any non-Asari species invariably need implants to access their Biotics. Without evolution providing the necessary neural-chemical pathways needed to stimulate their Element Zero "Nodules" throughout their bodies, there is no natural way of using the Eezo contained in a subject's body to create the Mass Effect. Implants bridge the gap created by this deficiency by communicating commands from parts of the subject's brain — primarily the cerebellum — into electricity. These electrical pulses then directly manipulate the Nodules to release Dark Energy. These pulses can then amplified and synchronized using Biotic Amps to create predictable patterns for generating the specific fields. These are the "Biotic Powers" exemplified by the Asari.

There is a limit to how effective these Nodules can be. All Non-Asari are Biotic-Capable by accident. Whether it is an Eezo Core exploding nearby while they were a child or their mother eating Eezo-rich food while pregnant, the emergent Biotic capacity is haphazard and their resulting Nodules are similarly imperfect. In rare cases, an accidental Biotic can be even stronger than an Asari. These individuals are limited in other ways. Their indiscriminate Biotic Growth leads to sporadic Biotic discharge even when an Implant isn't activated. This is caused when their enlarged Nodules react unpredictably to static electricity in the air or the subject's own biochemistry. In almost every case, these "Super-Nodules" have their excess Eezo extracted with surgery to improve quality-of-life for the subject.

There is also a limit to the effectiveness of Implants. Even the most sophisticated technology cannot consistently interpret the mind, because the mind is almost never consistent. This is why the implants must be inserted before puberty. While the subject is still developing their fine motor functions, it is possible for a subject to train their brain to create new motor functionality in adapting itself with the implant. Once the brain is fully developed, these advantages are lost. Decades of use can give some small changes as brain cells replace themselves, but the effects are often too slow to be worth the effort. No non-Asari Council Species has the lifespan to waste when avenues of combat potential such as weapons training and Omni-Tool Use give faster and more consistent results.

Biotic Amps are the final component. This is the method in which an Implanted Biotic can compete and even beat a natural Asari Biotic; even a Matriarch. An analogy for how this works would be to compare a sentient and a robot performing the same job. While the sentient will invariably be more effective at most tasks, a robot can completely outstrip them if given a precise and focused task. In a similar way, an Asari can also use their natural Biotics to perform a great variety of Biotic feats. However, for the same amount of energy, an amp will outperform them provided it has been given the precise and correct input.

This last point is why Turian Cabals are so valuable to the Hierarchy. By giving them the correct Biotic Amps and training them relentlessly in their use, it is possible to create man-portable Biotic Artillery and Support platforms for use in war that exceed what anyone — even the Asari — are capable of. It is imperative that these Cabals are kept in reserve and only deployed when absolutely necessary to counteract other Biotic threats in the Field. In this way, the Hierarchy can maintain superiority in all aspects of a battle, even if the Hierarchy should someday face the Asari Republics in war.


	8. Arc 2: Ch 3

**Student Dorm 442-6, Nos Astra University of Science, Nos Astra Core District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 09-09-2559 GS  
** _Perspective - Nos Astra University Student - Terith - Asari Undergraduate in Ship Engineering - 21 Years Old_

 **1 Week Later**

It was the weekend, but the young Asari had no time to rest.

Having finished Matron Aethyta's training from hell for the day and her own practice at the gun club in the wards, Terith weakly opened the door to her room and bonelessly lay down face-first on her bed. It was already a week, but the non-stop activity of University, Training, and Practice was taking its toll.

' _By the Goddess, this is going to kill me. Why do I put myself through this? 45 hours a week of mandatory time studying, working on projects, assignments and lectures. 40 additional hours of University time spent getting ahead of my courses and studying for exams. 1 hour a day keeping up with Gun Practice, 1.5 hours a day doing strength and cardio exercises and then 1 hour a day just going to and from the Wards. That only leaves 10 hours a week for eating and free time. Can I really keep this up? '_

She didn't let herself complain, she knew she didn't have the time. After a minute, she sat up on the bed and took out her Omni-Tool.

Her motivation to get back to work right away was not from a vague sense of determination. She had always been someone to slack off. No, as was almost always the case, her impetus came from her fears and anxieties. In this case, her drive stemmed from the paranoia that there were wiretaps and cameras in her room.

As she began the arduous process of scanning every millimeter of her room with her Omni-Tool's "Anomaly-Detection Application", she rationalized the paranoia to herself.

' _Well if there's one thing I've learned from the Quarian Incident, it's that I could have saved myself so much worry if I only knew that investigator was following me. Besides, wasn't there that phrase: "It's not paranoia if they're really after you"? Well, I actually_ _ **found**_ _wiretaps and cameras those two times. Even for Illium that's way too much evidence to think I'm just being paranoid.'_

It was relatively easy to rationalize the first camera she found. It was in her old apartment and was probably just the sleazy owner trying to get some risqué pictures without her consent. It was horrible, disgusting and degrading, but she destroyed it before it could capture anything problematic. She had grown up on Illium for 20 years. It was just one more thing in a long line of "Typical Illium Bullshit" she had to go through growing up in this shitty Universe. She didn't even bother going to the cops. She knew from experience that they wouldn't do anything.

' _Then I found wiretaps and cameras not_ _ **one day**_ _after moving into my dorm room; this whole situation got a whole lot less fucking acceptable then! Sure, it could just be more Illium bullshit like Government Surveillance, but why me? Spectre Tela already vouched for me. No, this is a private citizen and that makes it so much worse…'_

The more she thought, the more she didn't want to think. On the bright side, it _did_ give her plenty of motivation to work harder. The harder she worked, the more distracted she was from everything wrong in her life. She'd rest and get therapy for all the bullshit when she was off Illium or dead. The longer the situation lasted, the more enticing the latter option would be.

As she finally finished the scan, she was able to breath a sigh of relief that it came back negative again. With her chores out of the way, she had time to finally relax. Given that she has a little free time, she tried to use her Biotics a tiny bit. She had a little free time to sit back and-

A ringing sound filled the room.

' _What is that?'_

She jumped off her bed and put a hand to the pistol at her hip. When the sound came on again, she activated her Kinetic Barriers and placed her back against the wall next to her door. She looked around the room frantically as the sound came again and again. Only when she found the source did she realize what it was: a doorbell.

' _Wait, seriously? W_ _ho could that be?'_

She didn't relax though. Even in her old life, with email and social media, she very rarely had someone actually ring her doorbell. In this Universe — one where holographic calling existed — it was almost a superfluous luxury. Why take the time to travel somewhere when holographics were almost exactly the same thing?

Keeping her hand on her pistol, she yelled out through the door.

"Whoever ya are, can ya stop ringin' the doorbell?! What do ya want?"

The ringing stopped.

"Hi! Sorry to bother you, but is this where Terith lives?"

Terith took the gun out of its holster.

' _I don't recognize the voice. Who knows that I live here?'_

"Who's askin'?"

"I'm Enyala Serani! Aethyta sent me to be your vocal coach! I emailed you last week that we would be starting today, remember? Can you let me in?"

That settled her down a little but, but she didn't put down her weapon quite yet.

' _Oh that's right. She **did** email me about that, but I thought it would be over a holographic call. Seriously, who just shows up unannounced to someone's house anymore? She could have at least sent a message first.'_

"Why did you come over? We could have just done all this through a call."

The voice sounded exasperated.

"Argh, don't remind me. Look, can you just let me in and I'll explain everything."

Reluctantly, the paranoid child unlocked the door.

"Okay, the door is unlocked, ya can-"

Suddenly the door burst open and everything happened at once.

Terith hadn't expected the door to suddenly fly open with her right next to it. The movement startled her enough that she subconsciously fired her gun. Next was the Asari Maiden on the receiving end of the shot. She had Kinetic Barriers activated, so the shot didn't penetrate, but it was enough to find the child on the receiving end of a Biotic _Push_ which sent her crashing into the dorm's far wall. The blow was enough that she couldn't tell what the Asari was saying from the ringing going on in her head.

Eventually she righted herself and could finally make out Enyala's words.

"…I said, are you alright?"

Terith shook her head.

"Just give me a… argh, just a moment. That was a solid hit… ow."

Enyala rolled her eyes and gestured at the Bayonet in her hand.

"I'd say sorry, but that's what you get for trying to shoot me. That isn't very nice."

Terith — only now getting over her headache and realizing that she _was_ in the wrong here — did her best to sound sincere in her apology.

"Ah'm really sorry. Ya just suddenly came through the door and Ah didn't-"

When she registered the type of gun in the Maiden's hand, she looked down to find it was the same one missing from her own.

She looked up at the Maiden in fear. Not since the Incident did she feel so vulnerable. Her voice came out hesitant and afraid.

"W-wait, isn't that _my_ Pistol you're holding?!"

Enyala grinned.

"Well, until you learn a little trigger discipline, I'm going to be confiscating this now. You can have it back after I'm done with your vocal training today."

Terith was confused and a little relieved at the same time.

' _Thank the Goddess… she isn't going to use it on **me** …'_

She didn't know why she thought that. It wasn't as though killing someone in the middle of a University on Illium would go without _severe_ repercussions. She shook her head and calmed herself down. She tried standing up but her head was still reeling from the hit. Instead she took in the situation and waited for her head to stop hurting before replying back.

"Uh, sure ya can hold onto my gun Ah guess. Honestly, Ah thought ya wouldn't want to do that anymore since Ah _did_ just accidentally try to kill ya and all. Aren't ya a little upset?"

The Maiden absentmindedly twirled the weapon in her hand in a way that unnerved the tiny Asari. Enyala shook her head.

"Not really. No harm, no foul, right? Apology accepted! Wouldn't be the first time someone I just met tried to shoot me, but it _is_ the first time it was an accident."

She gave Terith a shrug.

"You know how it is."

As much as it pained Terith to admit it, she _did_ know where the bubbly Maiden was coming from.

 _'The Common Sense on Illium is different. I mean, so long as everyone has their barriers up, a little misfire is probably fine. No wait, this wouldn't have happened if she just called me like a normal person!'_

"Ya still haven't explained why ya didn't just call me! All ya need to get this done is to hear my voice for these lessons, right. Why did ya waste your time comin' to me in person?"

' _Why did you go out of your way to scare me to death like this?!'_

Enyala sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck.

"Well, that was _Aethyta's_ idea actually. This isn't the first time I've done something for her… and let's just say that I haven't always done a _stupendously amazing_ job. I think Aethyta and I have _both_ learned the hard way that I have, like, _zero_ patience for stuff like this. She insisted that I come in person to get to know you better. I guess she figures that I won't slack off if I got a little invested first?"

Terith was nonplussed and just stared at the Maiden with a disturbed sense of awe.

' _ **This**_ _is the 'trustworthy Maiden' Aethyta called for? Seriously, giving me someone with a short attention span to teach me… Aethyta's just playing me at this point, isn't she? This has to be some sort of sick "test" to see if I'm "worthy".'_

She clenched her hands into fists but kept her face neutral. She couldn't afford to lash out at the only shot she had for learning Combat Biotics. As her research proved, it was actually _illegal_ to teach any offensive-use Biotics on Illium outside of Police and Military Academies. Every other Gym was similar to what had been taught to her classmates at the Youth Academy: basic civilian and spiritual use that would be useless for her.

' _Still,_ _I can't just go along with whatever crap Aethyta throws at me; not when I know she's flaunting Illium Law to run her Gym. T_ _hat's_ _ **exactl** **y** what got me in trouble with Teema. Well, I've learned my lesson this time. ___I can use this "test" to my advantage._ I'm going to get to know this person, and I'll use that relationship to get to know Aethyta. I can't let myself rest until I know all the facts. I'm not going to put myself through another Quarian Incident again.'_

Throughout her internal monologue, Enyala had waited politely. At the very least, it allowed for Terith to get over her impact-induced headache. She put on a fake smile as she picked herself off the ground.

"Well, if ya need to get invested in me to do your work, Ah guess that means we should get to know each other right?"

Enyala smiled.

"That's the spirit! Don't let a little attempted murder get in the way of a blossoming friendship!"

She took Terith by the hand and led her to the door. Terith pulled back.

"Wait, where are we going?"

Enyala grinned.

"You'll see! If we're going to get to know one another, there is only one place to go!"

— AE —

 **Eternity Lounge, Nos Astra Core District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 09-09-2559 GS**

Terith sat with Enyala in a corner booth of the club nursing a virgin drink with awkward, fidgeting hands. While she was an adult — and so she could drink if she wanted to — she had already experimented by herself after her graduation and learned the hard way that her current body was a complete lightweight.

Her fidgeting wasn't from embarrassment in being at such a "lewd" club or nervousness at being around other people. No, she had been to clubs in her past life and did perfectly fine around strangers. Rather it was because her paranoia was only heightened at being in such an unfamiliar setting. Many people — including herself — were armed. While the streets of Illium were safe and clubs like Eternity had armed guards at the entrance, that did little to settle her.

Unaware — or uncaring — of her internal struggle, Enyala slurped noisily from the straw in her own drink.

"Are you actually going to _drink_ that Virgin Akantha? You were the one who ordered it. Still, I don't know how you can drink that crap. I mean, the alcohol is the only part that's actually _good_ about that cocktail. Everything else in it is like blending candy with burnt meat. Seriously gross."

Thankfully, they were far enough from the center of the club to hear each other without yelling.

' _Wait, there's something about this whole situation that rubs me the wrong way…'_

"Now that Ah think about it, you've been _awfully_ calm about my whole '20-year-old-Asari-that-is-actually-an-adult' thing. You're talkin' about cocktails like Ah'm just another adult. Ah shot ya with a gun Ah own then you just take me to this _adult_ establishment. Ah could've even ordered an alcoholic drink a minute ago. All that, and ya barely batted an eye."

The Maiden beamed a bright smile back at her. It reminded Terith of a hyena about to jump at it's prey.

"I'm glad you asked! See, we're already getting to know each other! Well, to answer the question, I was born and raised in the Terminus just like you. That's just life is out here, although I didn't grow up in a fancy place like Illium."

Terith frowned.

"Was it that bad for you growing up? I mean, my circumstances are… wait, don't tell me you grew up on Esan?!"

Esan — now called Lorek by its new masters — had been an Asari colony until 100 years ago when the Batarian Hegemony took it over the planet. The one attack had effectively cut down the Terminus-based Asari population down by over 20%. While the Hegemony claimed that the majority of citizens were not killed and had voluntarily cut contact, there were no shortage of rumors of vast death camps and slave rings using the former inhabitants. Most Asari on Illium knew someone who had "disappeared" during the annexation.

Needless to say, it was an incredibly sore topic.

Enyala's eyes went wide and she gestured to the contrary.

"Oh, no-no-no! Nothing as bad as that. I grew up in a small colony called Chalkhos."

Enyala looked up at the ceiling and putting a finger to her chin.

"No, it definitely wasn't a _bad_ place to live. The scenery is definitely better than Illium if you ignore the heat, that's for sure, and the people are pretty nice if you ignore all the pirates. Still, it wasn't fancy like Illium, you know, it's just a simple colony full of farmers."

Terith was confused.

"What does that have to do with you treating me like an adult?"

"Well, Chalkhos is no Thessia. It might be a garden world, but it was tough going. I had to help the family with the narcotic farming when I was your age just to get by."

"Ah thought ya said it _wasn't_ a bad place to live."

Enyala crossed her arms and nodded sagely.

"Yeah, I can see what you mean. It _was_ pretty boring. I mean, the gangs didn't even bother _extorting_ people half the time, can you believe that? It was practically a _functioning tax system._ Everything was _super_ laid back. I couldn't wait to get out of there."

Terith groaned.

' _I almost thought she had Common Sense for a second. Why am I trying to get to know her again?'_

Enyala took another long sip of her drink.

"Anyway, I grew up pretty quick, so I can appreciate it when you act mature. I'm just trying not to judge appearances and all that. I just 'go with the flow', you know?"

' _Right, now I remember. I still don't know what her angle is. Why is she going out of her way to befriend me? Aethyta strong-arms her into helping me learn the language, then she gets shot and finally brings me to a club to have drinks and talk about ourselves? Who the hell would try to be friendly after all that? What's her end-game in all of this? There's no way that powerful and old Asari would trust such a vacuous Asari. Her whole personality_ _ **has**_ _to be a front.'_

Terith shook her head.

' _Well, there's only one way to find out.'_

"Well with that out of the way, Ah guess my next question is what-"

The older Asari cut her off with a shake of her finger.

"Nah-ah-ah, that's not how this is going to work. We're trying to get to know _each other_ better. So you'll ask a question then _I'll_ ask a question. That means it's my turn now."

"Ah didn't agree to-"

Enyala cut her off with a noisy slurp from her drink.

"Can't we just-"

She took another slurp, exagerating the movement for added effect.

Terith rubbed the bridge of her nose in frustration.

' _Well that would be too easy, but I can't let her onto the fact that I know her game. It isn't like I need to actually answer her questions if I don't want to.'_

"Fine, ask away."

The Maiden beamed.

"Great! Now you were a pretty good shot with that pistol. Do you take lessons?"

"No."

Enyala waited for a moment to see if she would add anything else, but her expression fell when she didn't.

"Um, I think I'm going to need a little more than that."

"You were the one who said we just needed to answer questions back and forth. Now it's my turn. What do you do?"

"Well right now I'm-"

Terith cut her off before she could reply. She refused to get caught up in the Maiden's antics.

"I mean _apart_ from this voice coaching thing you're about to do."

The sad expression Enyala gave her was all she needed to know that she was right that the Maiden had immediately went for the smartass answer.

' _Is this seriously happening? She honestly thinks this is all a game, doesn't she. Well I'm not putting my neck on the line like I did with the Quarians. If I get even **hint** that I'm being used here, I'm out.'_

Enyala pouted.

"Oh fine, ruin my fun. Anyway, I'm a Mercenary when I'm not teaching _super lame_ brats like you how to talk properly and that's all I'm going to say about that. You're going to need to give me a little more if we're going to really get to know each other better."

Terith looked at the Maiden in shock. Suddenly all the pieces were coming together. The casual Biotic use, the weapon knowledge, and the easy forgiveness for almost getting shot. The knowledge was like ice-water filling her veins.

 _'A Mercenary?! Damnit, the whole game's changed! This is a trained killer! How many people has this person killed to have survived in the Terminus?! Is matching wits with someone like that worth the_ _ **chance**_ _of Biotics Training? I need to leave, **now!** '_

She clenched her hands around her drink almost to the point that the glass cracked, but she didn't stand up. She was conflicted.

' _No, I can't leave. This is the level I need to be at. It's no coincidence that the only people who've even given me a chance on this shitty world are a Quarian Migrant Fleet Marine, a Powerful Biotic Matron and a Mercenary. This is what the Common Sense of Illium is really like, isn't it? I either work for the corporations — who would enslave me as much as they would help me — or I work alongside the Outliers: the Criminals and Power Players who work outside of the system. When I graduate and get a job, that isn't going to change. This is do-or-die and it can only get worse from here. If I can't become strong enough to stand on my own like Aethyta, I'll be crushed by the powerful forces which run this planet.'_

She put on a fake smile and laughed. It came out a little hoarse but the therapeutic nature of it was exactly what she needed. She felt eerily calm now.

"That's _really_ interesting. Wow, Ah didn't expect that considerin' your personality and all. Ya must have a lot of stories to tell, but Ah guess it's your turn to ask a question."

It was only an instant, but a bit of the Mercenary's mask cracked then at her reply. It was all the proof Terith needed to know that they were playing the same game now.

The bubbly mask was right back on, however, when the Maiden took another sip of her drink and it was like the last few minutes since the reveal never happened.

"Oh, Mercenary Life is _totally_ interesting. It beats life on the farm, that's for sure. Anyway, for my next question: why do you work so hard? I mean, when I was your age, I _hated_ doing housework and chores, but you're doing all this great stuff all by yourself without any adults telling you what to do! Biotics Training and you're a big-shot University student and you must find _some_ time to train with that pistol if you're such a good shot. Why do you do it?"

Terith didn't fail to notice how quickly Enyala had come to the conclusion that she must train with the Bayonet herself if she didn't take lessons. It was an easy deduction, but it made it clear to her that she wasn't talking to an idiot. She would need to carefully frame her response if she didn't want the Maiden deducing anything else about her life.

"I want to be a grown-up. I want to do things on my own without anyone telling me what to do."

Enyala rolled her eyes.

"That doesn't answer my question. Why _University_? Why _Biotics Training_? Why do all the _boring-est_ things when there are so many more _fun_ ways? Why not be a Mercenary? Someone like me!"

Enyala gestured her now-empty drink in her direction with enthusiastic movements.

"As much as I enjoy talking with you, we're going to be here _all day_ if we need to talk back-and-forth like this. I told you all that juicy gossip about how I did Narcotics farming as a kid. Just give me a little something here."

Terith sighed, but admitted to herself that the Mercenary had a point. It wasn't like the answer really mattered.

"Fine. The truth is that it gives me the most money without pointlessly risking my life. Ah want to go see the Citadel or maybe Thessia someday and I don't want to wait 200 years to do it. Now enough about me, how does a Mercenary like you get stuck doing Vocal Coaching for someone like me?"

Enyala groaned.

"It's a _long_ story, but suffice it to say that it involved a lot of bad decisions and drinking on my part…"

— AE —

The two of them talked for several hours, exchanging things back and forth. Every once in a while, Enyala tried to get her to dance on the club floor — which Terith adamantly refused — and occasionally went to refill her drink. Terith did not get another refill and refused to let the Mercenary fill it up for her. If she had to worry about being drugged on _Earth_ , then she was damn well going to worry about it on _Illium_.

Terith made sure to never tell the older Asari about her "criminal past" or anything that the Maiden couldn't find out herself with a little digging. She only told the Mercenary thing like her Practice at the Gun Club or the easy time her first-year classes had been for her. She carefully kept away from things like her interests or opinions and anything that might hint at how she thinks.

Enyala, on the other hand, told all sorts of stories about Mercenary life. If even 1% of what she said was true, it only reaffirmed Terith's belief to never become one. Terith had done her research while the Maiden chatted away and everything she found confirmed the stories. The operations were all things that actually happened, and the online resumé for an "Enyala Serani" was full of work history backed by the "Terminus Hire Boards" Mercenary website. Terith's own paranoia was saying to trust that everything the Mercenary said was the truth. It was better to assume the worst: that the energetic, air-headed Maiden was actually a Veteran Killer with decades of experience.

That attitude Enyala had when speaking was starkly contrasted by the stories she was telling. She gesticulated wildly as she finished recounting another tale of attacking a slaver base.

"… and so now that we finally knew where the bastards were hiding, we called down a hit on the complex from our ship in orbit. Oh man, it was _beautiful!_ Like _whoosh_ and _kapow!_ "

Enyala hung her head.

"The explosion didn't get all _mushroom-cloudy_ like I would have thought; that made me kinda sad."

She suddenly popped back up as happy as could be.

"Anyway, then we _swooped_ in on our troop carriers and took out the guards who were still trying to get out of the debris. Of course, when we targeted the place, we made sure not to hit the slave pen so they almost all made it out fine. Then — just when we had all the slaves rounded up and moving back to the transports — there was a counter-attack! You should have seen it; those Krogan were _pissed_. I mean, like, full blood-rage right out the gates. Nothing puts the fear of Athame in you like 10 charging, armored Krogan. Luckily, we were prepared, and _valiantly_ fought our way out to evac. Then the mines we had planted went off. It was like Janiris came early with all the fireworks. When all was said and done, there were only 20% casualties among the squad and slaves, so it was a really good op. I got a _huge_ bonus for that."

Terith said nothing, but inwardly she found herself wanting to know more. Now that she was committed to working outside the system, it was a like a switch had gone off in her head. For the first time that night, she saw the Mercenary as more than a means-to-an end in figuring out Aethyta's place in all this.

She _wanted_ to say that she was disturbed or at least angry at the Mercenary's nonchalance to violence, but he found herself morbidly fascinated instead. While the stories almost always ended in bloodshed, they were always done to people who deserved it. Slavers, Murderers, Butchers and worse. The sorts of serial killers and madmen you heard on TV but refused to believe existed in real life.

' _I think that Illium is really changing me, maybe for the worse. There's no way I would've been interested in this kind of thing back on Earth. Someone taking justice into their own hands or killing for money were just criminals as far as I was concerned.'_

She didn't think she changed all that much though. She still drew a very thick line at killing innocent people like Teema did. She wouldn't even accept that kind criminals-killing-criminals crap back on Earth or in Council Space where those crimes could be brought to court, but in the Terminus? There _was_ no law to uphold. It was the Wild West; it was Might-Makes-Right.

' _I re-live the Quarian Incident again and again and every time I find myself in that situation? I kill Teema. I don't wait for a trial; I don't hold him down until the cops to arrive. I kill him; with my bare hands if I have to. The cops failed to save me. Hell, even a_ _ **Spectre**_ _failed to save me. The systems I had trusted in failed to save me. I just feel so stupid. How did I honestly trust self-interested Corporations would rescue me? How could I trust that being a Good Citizen was all I had to do to survive? It was like I was_ _ **asking**_ _to be killed.'_

In a hellhole like that, she appreciated Mercenaries like Enyala that made life a little bit better for everyone. She'd probably saved as many people from a life of slavery and butchery as she killed. She wasn't exactly a hero, but Terith didn't need a hero. She needed someone that could back her up if things went wrong and the Mercenary could be that person..

' _Isn't that what Nyxeris always said? It never hurt to have a few more contacts. I thought she was just talking about being successful in the world, but I'm starting to see things differently now. If I am ever in a shitty life-or-death situation again, having a Mercenary on my side is probably the best insurance money can buy on Illium.'_

Her thoughts were interrupted when Enyala looked at her Omni-Tool and gasped.

"Oh wow, it seems we've talked a bit too long, and I didn't even get to do any Vocal Coaching with you today!"

She rapped on the side of her head with her knuckles and made a stupid-looking face.

"Doh! Anyway, I had better head home. We'll continue this next week and _actually_ get to Vocal Lessons, alright?"

For the first time that evening, Terith had a genuine smile on her face.

"Alright! Ah'll see you then, _friend._ "

Enyala practically jumped for joy and crushed the child in a hug.

"Oh, we will be _best friends!_ I will see you later Terith!"

Terith had a lot of new information to process and new research to do.

' _I will figure out just how all this connects together. Who is planting wiretaps and cameras in my room? Who is Aethyta really and how much power does she have? What is the connection between her and the Terminus? What are their plans for me?'_

She thought back to Teema.

 _'I'm not going to let anyone use me again.'_

— AE —

 **Codex Entry - Profiles: Enyala Serani  
** _Resume posted on "Terminus Hire Boards", a Mercenary Recruitment Extranet Site_

 **Enyala Serani**

 **Username:** MurderKitten113  
 **Race:** Asari  
 **Base of Operations:** Illium  
 **Status:** Freelance

 **Profile  
** Over thirty years of specialized training and "outstanding efficiency" in private security operations in and around the Terminus Systems and Krogan DMZ. Proven to have "reliable" combat capabilities and "friendly relations" during combat situations. Ambitious and always takes challenges head-on. Has performed in leadership roles and directed several squads in operations.

 **Skills  
** Biotics (Class 4) * Customer Relations * Security Operations * Asset Protection * Asset Acquisition * Emergency/Crisis Management * Defensive Techniques * Firearms Proficiency (General) * Firearms Expertise (Shotguns) * First Aid * Omni-Tool Literacy * Fluent in Asari and Batarian

 **Professional Experience**

Agricultural Operator — Chalkhos Colonial Development — 402 West Plantation, Chalkhos — 06-2463 - 12-2513 GS  
— Implemented new farming distribution network, resulting in saved transportation costs and minimizing work time  
— Prevented loss of over 400,000 Credits of product, persuaded and negotiated contract renewals with local authorities  
— Ensured the personal safety, training and performance of seven Agricultural Operators

Risk-Control Contractor — Sarasha Risk-Control Services, Terminus Protection Division — 814/FOB 22, Korlus — 02-08-2525 - 04-01-2541 GS  
— Support coordinator, secondary Transport gunner, Heavy Biotics support  
— Offensive asset-denial operations and requisitions (08-2525 - 04-2538), Protective detail in and around Terminus (04-2538 - 01-2541)  
— Obtained security clearance for working in and around Tuchanka DMZ (Expired)

Forward-Operations Specialist — Sarasha Risk-Control Services, Terminus Protection Division — 411/FOB 2, Illium — 02-09-2541 - 04-01-2547 GS  
— Fire-Mission planner, Transport Coordinator, Orbital and Suborbital Strike Authorization  
— Responsible for coordinating surveillance and recon ground scout for ship-bound weapon platforms  
— Accountable for ensuring safety and security of assets and mitigating risk of crises in the AO

Mixed Security Commissions — Freelance and Dantalus Asset Security Service — Illium — 28-01-2547 GS - Present  
— Asset Acquisition and Asset Denial Operations  
— Organization and Rescue of Assets in the Terminus Systems including civilians and sensitive technology

 **Education**

Agricultural School 2 — Chalkhos — 01-2484 - 08-2499 GS  
Primary School Equivalent

Security Services Technical Institute — Chalkhos — 07-2531 - 04-2533 GS  
Secondary School Equivalent (Incomplete), Firearms Proficiency, Security Operations

Officer and Risk-Management Training — Sarasha Risk Control Services — Korlus — 04-2541 - 09-2541 GS  
Combat, Security Specialist, and Officer Seminars (FFEN 001442-3790563)


	9. Arc 2: Ch 4

**8 Months Later**

Despite the incessant paranoia seeping into every facet of Terith's life and obstructing her every thought, nothing happened for months.

No grand conspiracy unraveled before her.

No sudden, life-changing event hindered her goals.

No government agency threw her into the back of their van; nobody told her she would "never see the light of day again".

Ironically, the lack of any action didn't help things. To someone else — a more balanced individual — the past few months might have been calmer or felt safer, maybe even a little boring. To someone else, they would assume things were going right for a change. For a little while, Terith dare to believe that too, but in the back of her mind, she waited for "the other shoe to drop". Illium wasn't going to be that kind and let her graduate without doing everything it could to ruin her life.

When would Aethyta to make her real intentions known?

When would her stalker make another attempt at planting surveillance equipment in her dorm?

Terith began preparing for that day of confrontation with every legal and illegal resource she could get ahold of. There would be no repeat of the Quarian Incident.

She hadn't been _completely_ blindsided by Illium's corruption and failure to protect her; she'd never really trusted authority much to begin with. Rather, she assumed that any successful society — even Illium — would reward hard work within the system and that she would be safer working inside the system than outside. She'd been wrong, but never let it be said that she didn't learn.

She'd learned a lot during her 20 years on the planet and with the Quarians, although she had been too much of a coward in the past to use all of that knowledge. She'd learned to program and reprogram Omni-Tool Applications and use scripts to get confidential information or circumvent security systems. She had done all this as a backup plan in case she would need to flee the planet for her life. Teema had proven definitively to an escape like that was out of the question. If even a hundred dedicated Quarians with months or even years of planning couldn't flee the planet without casualties, she had no chance.

She refused to let those tools she'd learned go to waste though. She no longer had to limit herself to strictly legal methods.

She infiltrated the terminals of local businesses remotely using credentials she "borrowed" from the unsuspecting cashiers and owners. In most cases, this did not even require hacking, but rather social engineering. Placing a hidden camera or even just making a recording when someone input their password was usually enough. This peer-to-peer "botnet" she manufactured from the computers acted as a buffer between her Omni-Tool and the rest of the Extranet. While Illium's surveillance of Extranet traffic was nigh ubiquitous and omnipresent, it was not omnipotent. Her system prevented external surveillance from determining which computer was actually being used to access the Extranet and kept her identity safe. It might mean that her neighbors would be arrested for her crimes, but she was desperate.

The access allowed her to set up accounts in various names to hide her money trails and add Citadel and Illium proxy anonymity-networks to her virtual web.

She used the capabilities of her system to purchase illegal things on the Extranet black market. She started small at first: things like an Omni-Tool Cyberwarfare Suite and Weapon Mods like frictionless rail systems and explosive rounds. She waited weeks for the Illium authorities to break down her door after purchasing them, but she was never found out. Then she moved to purchasing Security Systems: a defensive one for her dorm, and a Surveillance Drone for going on the offensive. Despite her hesitation, the black market on Illium was very accomodating and provided dead drop locations in secure lockers or hidden in public parks. She found each spot to be conveniently out of sight from cameras or people and was surprised by the level of customer service: the site even had a rating system and encouraged customer feedback.

She shouldn't have been surprised to find how easy it was for her to make the black market trades and would later slap herself at how naive she had been. She learned during those months that trades happened daily by the thousands. The Illium Bureaucracy dealt with the nails that stuck out: the criminal enterprises that interfered with corporate influence and stupid criminals that couldn't keep their dirty laundry out of the streets. Small time black market businesses and their buyers — while still illegal — were apparently low priority for the corporate government. For once, being on a Terminus planet had a perk. Only two of her outer-layer of "zombie" botnet nodes were discovered by Illium Extranet Surveillance. While it was no doubt a difficult conversation with Illium interrogators for those businesses, Terith was confident she wouldn't be implicated.

While it seemed that much of her defenses were ultimately useless, and much of the last few months was wasted effort, she did not regret having them. The illegal goods were purchased. Now it would only be a matter of time before her stalker's identity was uncovered and the truth of her situation with Enyala and Aethyta would be revealed; either to incriminate or exonerate the two.

— AE —

 **Crashing Waves Biotic Gym, Nos Astra Wards District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 17-05-2560 GS  
** _Perspective - Nos Astra University Student - Terith - Asari Undergraduate in Ship Engineering - 21 Years Old_

Aethyta walked between the rows of students in her gym as they all performed repetitive movements and gave pointers in correcting them. The movements were similar to Martial Arts "Katas" except that they were small and focused. For some, it meant clenching a fist, for others it meant a twitch of a wrist. There was no punching or kicking or great "powerup" gestures. Biotic Powers would be largely ineffective in a combat situation that required quick actions and maintaining hold of a weapon if every time one needed to establish a _Barrier_ , one had to throw away one's weapon and perform some weird dance.

For Terith to create a _Warp_ , it meant imagining a "pulling" sensation from her pores and using a hand to redirect the "energy" to a target. In theory this was simple, but it required perfect understanding and control of every pore on the skin. For the first few months of her training, she'd found it impossible to focus equally on the soles of her feat and the top of her head simultaneously and so her _Warps_ typically ended up powerful at one small point, but ultimately a big waste of energy.

Terith was not focusing on her training at the moment, however, but had other things to think about.

' _What the hell is going on?! In my first week at University, I find my room bugged with cameras and wiretaps and was forced to play Game-of-Thrones-esque mind games with Aethyta and Enyala to try and figure out exactly what their motives are. Yet despite monitoring Enyala and Aethyta using a black market surveillance drone for months and a sophisticated security system at home, I am no closer to any of my goals! What does Aethyta or Enyala want from me?! Who'd planted Surveillance Systems in my dorm?!'_

Aethtya's schedule was a boring one. She stuck to a strict schedule that had her working at her gym from 8am - 6pm and sleeping from 10pm - 6am. In between she usually just worked out herself. She had no hobbies and rarely traveled from her gym for anything. On the few times a month that she _did_ go into the city, it was only to go to random bars. from the few glimpses she had of the interior, she seemed to just talk with a few of the patrons and little else. With Terith's young age, she couldn't investigate deeper without exposing herself and her drone would be far to inconspicuous in such an enclosed space. All in all, she couldn't find anything outright incriminating, but it wasn't exonerating either. What did she talk about with these random people? How could a powerful and influential Matron Biotic have such a boring life? It didn't make sense.

Enyala had a more diverse schedule, but it was ultimately little better. She woke up around midnight every day and traveled off-world for jobs or hung out at clubs. Like Aethyta, she did not have any hobbies or friends. Terith had even managed to bug the Mercenary's Omni-Tool while they had a Vocal Training Session together but only reinforced her previous investigation. The Omni-Tool was only used for the Mercenary's work and logged a few email threads with Aethyta. Once again it made no sense. Even Terith — a loner with no-life — used her Omni-Tool to watch the occasional video or read up on forums discussing her school work.

As the months wore on, her frustration grew. Keeping up surveillance on both of them for a few hours each day meant that she only slept as little as 4 hours each night. Her "allies" were hiding things from her, but she couldn't figure out what it was at it was driving her to insomnia-induced insanity. She knew at some point, she would snap. It was only a matter of if she could find the evidence before she did.

Bringing herself back to reality, she angrily stared at the Biotic training-dummy in front of her: a slab of metal. She closed her eyes. Focusing on her sense of touch, she forced her frustration and anger into the a vibrating mass which she felt ooze out of every pore of her skin. She focused this barely-controlled raw energy directly in front of her. When she opened her eyes, she found that a bright-blue field of energy was already dissipating from the metal block and that it was far more warped and chewed up than it had mere moments before.

The biotic release had her out of breath and she panted.

' _Well, at least I'm doing_ _ **something**_ _right.'_

Terith heard a noise and looked behind her to find that Aethyta was congratulating her Biotic "Showing" with a slow round of applause. The other students in the gym took breaks from their own exercises to see what the commotion was about. Unlike her, the other students were non-Asari: mainly Volus and Batarians. Biotics-Capable members of other races such as Salarians and Turians were too valuable to leave in the "tender mercies" of a Matron like Aethyta. It pissed Terith off a little that merely being born a Salarian Biotic, for example, meant that all their debts were paid and they had a free trip to Academies and Biotic Combat Schools on their Homeworld.

Aethyta stepped in front of her young Asari student and nodded her head approvingly.

"Good work, brat. You have a finer control of your biotics than I would expect from an Asari your age and your _Warps_ are full of destructive, chaotic forces. Even if the power is something to be desired, it is an almost flawless execution."

The Matron's expression fell slightly and her voice took on a more neutral tone.

"It's a paradox. Your biotic control doesn't slip and you are able to keep a tight rein on your muscle-control, yet you are able to create such turbulent and violent energy. I have never met an Asari that could create a _Warp_ so efficiently. Even _I_ have trouble creating keeping such a delicate balance, yet it comes naturally to you. Your Dark Energy feels like a Batarian, yet there is a clearer pattern to the effect, something which amplifies the effect that I can't see precisely. It's like you aren't even Asari."

Terith stilled at that while the Matron let out a sharp laugh.

"Well, that's enough philosophical bullshit. Anyway, if you had _half_ the talent for _Barrier_ and _Throw_ , there wouldn't be much for me to teach you. Luckily, you suck some serious Quad at those so I still have a job."

Terith found herself more and more worried about these "seemingly innocuous" remarks the longer she trained with the Instructor. Aethyta's words clearly held double-meanings that Terith's paranoia could not ignore.

' _It's like this day-after-day-after-day with her. She keeps comparing me to non-Asari. She keeps telling me I'm "Too Good at this" and "I'm way worse than expected at that", like she knows something Does she know about_ _ **me**? __The past me? And another thing, she gets me in touch with a Mercenary friend for vocal lessons, what is that about? I don't get it. What is her end goal?'_

Of course, Terith wasn't stupid and hadn't brought up the issue with Aethyta. What would the Matriarch say to accusations of illegally running a biotic combat gym? How would she respond to demands asking why she — a powerful and obviously influential Matron with nothing the Extranet detailing her past — made a living running a gym for a bunch of "nobodies" like Terith? If she was keeping it hidden, she wasn't just going to tell her and the last thing she wanted was _more_ suspicion on her, especially when she was actively spying on her in turn.

What could she do?

— AE —

The remainder of the session was just like before and involved repeated movements to make it easier to perform the Biotics through muscle memory. Despite her best efforts, however, it resulted in no further progress to harness a successful _Throw_ or _Barrier_. Like always, they would turn into _Warps_. Needless to say, a _Barrier_ turning into a disintegrating Mass Effect field was not a good time and by the end of it, she was exhausted. It only compounded with her earlier exhaustion of sleeping 4 hour nights.

With no more time left in the session, Terith and the rest of the students went to their lockers to put away their equipment. Her frustration at both her lack of progress in her investigation or her progress in Biotics left her angry. If she was honest, the anger and frustration was the only thing keeping her on her feet most days. As she stuffed her gym equipment back in her bag, she heard Aethyta walk up behind her.

"Your progress is honestly not as bad as you appear to be taking it. Your _Throws_ turn into _Warps_ and your _Barrier_ is enough to kill you if left unattended, but your _Warps_ are damn-near perfect. While they are a little slow to recover, they are as dangerous as any Commando could do. For 8 months work, that is incredible for even a Salarian yet alone an Asari."

Terith sighed. She _really_ didn't want to talk to one of the major contributors of her frustration, but decided that she needed to at least clear the air between them a bit. It would only make Aethyta more suspicious otherwise.

"It's not _that_. I know I'm doing well, but I also know that I won't be makin' much more progress any time soon. I guess the stress of… University is takin' its toll. I can't keep my emotions in check."

Aethyta gave her a knowing nod.

"Well, you accent has improved, so you can take pride that your work is paying off. Still, are you getting enough sleep? You look dead on your feet."

Terith shrugged, but inside she was panicking. She knew that the makeup she wore to get rid of the external signs of her lack of sleep wouldn't work for long, but she'd hoped that the ruse would last until she had the evidence she needed. The last thing she wanted was the target of her spying to catch onto the fact that she didn't sleep well and go investigating. Her paranoia was good for these situations however, as she already had an excuse lined up.

"Oh that? Yeah, I guess I've been staying up late studying a lot recently. University has gotten a lot tougher recently."

' _That isn't necessarily a lie, although the reason for that is because of my new "hobby" spying on everyone around me.'_

Thankfully, the Matron seemed to have bought the lie and moved on.

"Honestly though, emotional control is a crutch. In a combat situation, you will not always have time to be calm and collected. The moment you lose control of your emotions will be the moment you'll need Biotics the most. It might be useful to know what a _Push_ or a _Barrier_ feels like before you work to pass any emotional barriers, but it's something you would need to do anyway."

Terith clenched her fists in frustration.

"Why do I even need to worry about emotions anyway? Ain't all my Biotics filtered through a computer? I just don't get why the computer can't interpret my _intent_ instead of my _emotionally-driven_ intent."

Aethyta scratched her crest with a single finger before shrugging back at the her.

"I'm no neuroscientist, but I can give you a basic explanation:

"The implant is stuck in the part of your brain that handles motor control. Of course, there's more to it than that, but that is the easiest example to understand. As you already know from experience, the Eezo Nodules are like a second skin that you 'move' and 'feel'. This is what is used to perform Biotic Powers, but this process is _beyond_ complicated. There are over a billion different nodules it needs to connect and each of those has an almost infinite different ways they can be used. Since an implant that managed all this complicated crap would be far too complex for a person to use — not to mention expensive — your brain handles a lot of the job, and brains are very… shit at it.

"Your emotional state and other things can cause involuntary movements that ruin control or waste energy. For example, most people shake when they're scared or their muscles tighten when they're angry. Those tiny movements can make-or-break a successful _Barrier_ or _Lift_. The whole point of this Gym is to teach you control of those movements with absolute precision. It is why you need to do repeat certain movements again and again to activate the power, it lets your brain associate certain nerves to certain Biotic activation by your implant… or something. Like I said, I'm not a neuroscientist. Whatever is the cause of all that, it means harnessing your emotions makes your Biotics work better."

"Didn't you just say that control is a crutch?"

Aethyta rolled her eyes.

" _Harness_ emotions rather than _control_ them. While you shouldn't let emotions dictate your Biotics, you can't just get rid of them, so you should also find ways to let them work for you. Figure out what problems your emotions are causing and find a way to let them boost your Biotics. You've seen first-hand how much emotions can help with a _Warp_ but it doesn't need to stop there. It's possible to use the anger or happiness or any other emotion to your advantage for _any_ ability. Perhaps use turbulent emotions to create a weak but Cyclonic-like _Barrier_ rather than a strong normal one. Maybe make a shorter _Push_ that uses the ripples of nervous energy to simultaneously overcome an opponent's _Barrier_. In these cases, your don't _change_ your emotions, you _use_ them to make your Biotics work better."

Terith stopped her packing and thought for a second.

"That's great and all, but how does that work? How can I just _direct_ anger into a protective shell?"

The Matron slapped Terith on the back, causing her to yelp.

"That's up to you to find out, kid. That's where all the neuroscience and metaphysical bullshit falls apart. In reality, your emotions should be holding you back, but you saw the results for yourself. I don't know what you were angry at today on the floor, but that _Warp_ was damn-near perfect. Another instructor would say that talk about "constructive interference" or some shit, but it isn't that at all. Someday, it will click and maybe you might be half as strong as me. Until then, just keep practicing."

— AE —

 **Virtual Lecture Hall 44, Nos Astra University of Science, Nos Astra Core District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 17-05-2560 GS**

Terith thought hard on what Aethyta said as she walked back to the dorm and all throughout her Ship Engineering lecture.

Not so much about her Biotics — Terith had figured it would take years or even decades to "get gud" — but her emotions were another story. She could readily admit she was an emotional wreck. She spent late-night hours spying on her "friends" and spent every waking moment monitoring security logs and her botnet for possibly breaches. She barely slept and was only functioning off of mildly addictive stimulants called "Aylith" that kept her functioning on 4 hours of sleep. Her research found the claims of its addictive properties to be exaggerated; it was more like a super-strong shot of espresso than some sort of dangerous narcotic. Even after months of taking it, she had yet to see any side effects.

Worst of all was that her efforts seemed to be in vain. Her research using her illegal botnet only returned vague rumors about corporate power struggles, Council relations with Illium, and a number of possible cover ups without any real proof. The conspiracies even went so far to say that Public Works like the sewers were operated by a shadow government. It was all nonsense and it made it impossible to tell fact from fiction. Of course, her spying had done little better.

Her mind was brought back to her class as the professor finished his lecture in her ASE 241 class where her lecturer was pointing out blocks of a Flow Diagram he had projected onto the far wall.

" … and so, using the low-level Functional Model of the Engine System and Specification Documents provided by the manufacturer, we are able to predict the dynamic behavior of the Fusion Torch Engine under the effect of Conical Mass Effect Fields. Ship Engineers — such as yourselves — can use the Models created by this in Simulations to check for deviations in the existing Engine infrastructure or even verify the acceptable deviations should you or your captain decide that various modifications are to be done to upgrade to a better design."

He finished his presentation and turned back to the class.

"I think that is all the time we have for today. Since we went over time a little bit, I'm afraid that any questions will have to be left until later. Feel free to email or call me if you-"

Terith didn't even hear him finish before she ripped off her VR Headset, threw it on the ground, and slammed her fist into a wall multiple times.

"Ah've! Had! Enough! With! This! Bullshit!"

She knelt down to the floor with her head resting against the wall.

"I'm going _insane_ with this paranoia shit! I can't handle it anymore! It's affectin' my University work and it's going to affect my life! I've already resorted to crime, I'm spying on everyone I know and I'm taking drugs. What more can I do?! I didn't even hear a damn thing the professor talked about in that entire class! Ship Modellin' and Design was the hardest course this year! It's going to take me _hours_ to make up all the time I just wasted!"

Her hand was already sore from the abuse and so she rolled up into her bed and cried.

"T-there's got to be somethin' I can do! I'm already at my wits end, I'll- I-"

Suddenly she had a shortness of breath and she collapsed. It took all her willpower not to pass out right there on her bed. After a day of Biotic Training, anxiety and lectures, she must have been exhausted. But she couldn't sleep yet.

' _Argh! G-get a grip! D-damn_ _…_ _heart is p-pounding in my ears… I-I have to say that I've never felt so exhausted in my life…'_

Wearily, she threw herself off the bed and scrambled to her nightstand. She took out a case of Aylith pills and popped one in her mouth. She sighed in relief as her exhaustion left her. She couldn't wait for all this spy-work she was doing to end and she could finally stop taking the damn things and get her life back on track.

Nevertheless, the stimulant pills did not fix the exterior effects of lack-of-sleep and she had to use makeup to hide her pale face and sunken eyes. Aethyta and Enyala had noticed, of course, but so far had bought her excuses of late-night studying.

With her mind restored, her second-wind filled the young Asari with determination.

' _This is just another day. Another day of torture I have to live though. I_ _ **will**_ _see the end of this thing. One way, or another.'_

— AE —

 **Residential Block B112, Nos Astra Residential District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 31-03-2560 GS**

 **2 Hours Later**

It was fitting that it was raining, it fit Terith's mood perfectly.

While she tried not to count them, this would be the 53rd time she sat next to a garbage bin in one of the Residential District's many alleyways. To anyone looking, she was just another street urchin fiddling with an Omni-Tool. It was risky for her to be this close to her target — she could use her Surveillance Drone from across the city if she had to — but it would be necessary if her mark took public transit as the Drone was far slower than a moving car.

Terith could feel that her head grew heavy and had to catch herself falling asleep on the pavement. She shook herself off an popped another stimulent. She reviewed her logs in the meantime. She pulled up transcribed data-feeds from what her drone has seen of her Omni-Tool use. It was mostly emails indicating new contracts, her own appointments, and hookups for one-time dates with a few Turians she met at clubs that she sometimes brought home with her. The engagements never went anywhere. It made her mind run at breakneck pace.

' _It s-seems completely out-of-character for the b-bubbly and energetic weirdo to not have any friends or hobbies, nightclubs and trysts h-hardly count, where are her "comrades-in-arms" or her messages to friends and family on Chalkhos, she hasn't even met or talked to Aethyta since I started this thing, no wonder Aethyta keeps asking me for updates. What does this mean; her life is almost like mine… She has no attachments and could drop off the face of Illium at a moments notice so why-'_

The door opened, and her mark once again left her apartment, but it was immediately obvious that it was not going to be like her usual routine. The Mercenary looked like her namesake for the first time ever: she was wearing a suit of grey armor. This was far from the normal civilian uniform she typically wore underneath her Kinetic Barriers and clearly foreshadowed something big.

Terith giggled to herself but she actually felt a sickening sense of dread in the pit of her stomach. She had waited for an hours in the rain and the constant paranoia of being caught had left her drunk on the fear. She honestly couldn't tell if she was slipping into a manic state, or pretending to do so to avoid _actually_ becoming manic. She mumbled to herself.

"Hehehehe. _Today_ will finally be the day, I know it. I just need one- _one_ piece of information. Just a little bit of info and I can rule out once-and-for-all that I'm in danger."

At this point, she wasn't even sure what she was doing any more. What was she hoping to achieve? If Enyala really was just a simple Mercenary strong-armed into their little vocal sessions, what would prove it? The armor itself obviously wasn't enough. Would she sit here, watching her perform some security detail at a local clubs until Terith died of old age? How many emails would read through before Terith had proven her vocal coach was beyond reasonable doubt? What more would she have to do to prove Aethyta was innocent as well?

Terith shook her head of those intrusive thoughts.

"No! I'm getting close, I _know_ it! This will be it. After this though, I might move onto Aethyta. I have to save the big fish for last after all."

Terith — even in her current sleepless state — understood that she might as well be delaying the inevitable. Would it be "just one more stakeout" again and again? Up until now, she'd been _begging_ for Enyala to do something. This change made her ecstatic. She was running on fumes as it was and any difference was a welcome one.

Enyala made it to the ground floor of her apartment and called for public transit. Terith immediately recorded the hovercar's destination: it was a random parking lot in the Industrial District's Warehouse section. With her drone soon recalled and stored, she was ready to finally put an end to her investigation once and for all.

— AE —

 **Codex Entry - Drugs: Aylith  
** _Copied from the Citadel Council's Extranet Site "Department of Health and Safety: Controlled Substances"_

Discovered in 2137 GS, B-1448 or "Aylith" — named after an ancient Asari Goddess of the Sun — is a stimulant created from the leaves of a plant native to the Salarian Homeworld of Sur'Kesh. The drug's molecular structure is designed to stimulate the central nervous system by mimicking the activation of various nucleobases in Asari DNA and RNA. This reaction has the effect of staving off exhaustion in the user and is also commonly attributed to an increased sense of "clear-headedness" and focus. In early studies of the drug in the workplace, Aylith showed signs of improved happiness and productivity of employees by over 20% of the control group.

While many other stimulants have been created over the centuries from various plants — especially plants native to the Asari Homeworld of Thessia — Aylith is unique in that it has almost no short-term effects and is only mildly addictive. Most short-term stimulants provide a similar removal of short-term exhaustion, but usually this comes at the cost of either a "crash" or a dulling of the senses during the moments of stimulation. While many steered clear of Aylith for its mild addictive properties, for many years it was considered a miracle drug by the Republics and was regularly administered.

The reason for its current "controlled-substance" status is that it was found to have terrible long-term effects. The over-stimulation of the nervous system over the course of a few decades can cause involuntary muscle movement and Biotic destabilization which can prove fatal. There is no cure for these effects without completely regrowing an entirely new nervous system: a feat of genetic engineering illegal in Council Space and far outside the monetary capacity of most citizens.

While it is known for its use as a recreational stimulant, the drug has medical applications as well. Aylith has proven to give temporary function back to elderly Asari experiencing muscular degeneration and can aid some patients who have undergone extensive muscle or nerve damage. It has also proven to help in some cases of depression and Asari with moderate-to-severe narcolepsy.

In most Council worlds, Aylith is banned from non-medical use even on colonies notorious for legalizing other drugs such as many of the Turian planets due to pressures from the Asari Republics. Some Asari colonies, such as Asteria, have allowed limited recreational use in tea form so long as the daily consumed amount is small enough. Of course, in Terminus Asari worlds such as Chalkhos or Illium, the drug is widely available and favored for its cheap manufacturing. Unlike most drugs that affect Asari, the plant that creates the Aylith leaf is not Biotic and so does not need expensive "Element Zero doping" of the soil to provide the necessary nutrients to grow and cultivate the plant.

Being that the drug was only discovered 420 years ago, the long term effects of non-debilitating use has yet to be recorded. Studies of former users of the drug are still ongoing as these Asari reach full maturity. While computer models have shown it is unlikely consuming tiny amounts, even over centuries, will have any effects, the Citadel does not want to rule out the possibility that there may be more beneficial or harmful applications of the drug in the extremely long-term.


	10. Arc 2: Ch 5

**Formatting/Reading note:** Words in [Square Brackets] are communicated over radio (and so imagine grainy communications like in ME for these parts).

— AE —

 **Block 49 Parking Area, Nos Astra Industrial District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 31-03-2560 GS  
** _Perspective - An Asari in Debt up to her Eyeballs - Enyala Serani - Freelance Mercenary - 114 Years Old_

 **1 Hour Earlier**

Enyala yawned and stretched as she exited the personal transit shuttle. The moment the car door closed behind her, she was inundated with rain.

She quickly put on her helmet but kept the visor open to avoid breathing the suit's ventilated air. The cheap filtration and air recirculation system that kicked in when the armor was hermetically sealed was probably the armor's worst feature. The constant smell of ozone and oil that it exuded made her want to gag before her nose-blindness kicked in.

While she loved her gunmetal grey armor — and it had saved her life countless times in the past — it was certainly not the best money could buy. It was a one-size-fits-none sort of setup and so it chafed a little for the first hour or so she wore it. It was still worth the credits where it mattered. The protection rating of the lightweight carbon-weave was top-notch and it was loaded with heavier, modular, polycrystalline-composite plating that kept repair costs low. Her enemies weren't considerate enough to keep the armor bullet-free and the lower costs of replacing the modular plates was something she greatly appreciated after she started doing freelance work. Even with all the efficiency, maintaining it was still her second-largest expense… it would never come close to her medical bills though.

The color of her armor harkened back to her days as a Mercenary for the "Grey Guns" of the Sarasha Risk Control Service. While she was no longer part of the SRCS anymore, she respected the cold professionalism the armor exuded. She found that it clashed jarringly with her normally "bubbly" personality enough to keep any strangers on their toes while they were around her. That was something worth its weight in gold for an Asari on the frontiers of Terminus Space.

Wishing she could scratch an itch on the back of her helmeted head, she looked up as her X1A Public Transit Shuttle depart back into the rainy sky; having completed its task of getting her to the parking lot in the Industrial District. She checked her Omni-Tool's chronometer and groaned: it was only 9:45 pm.

' _Why do I have to wake up so early? And the traffic was complete crap. Seriously, 10 whole minutes just to get across town? Why couldn't Aethyta's enemies just wait until Midnight or later to make this shitty deal of theirs? Isn't that the cliché? The least they could do is wait until I'm_ _ **awake**_ _.'_

Shaking her head, she checked her email, but didn't expect much. She only used the thing for keeping up with contracts her boss, and that whiny brat Terith. Her "real" email was left unused for the past few years. Ever since she started to work for Aethyta more seriously; her boss had insisted on it.

' _I learned the hard way to keep business and pleasure separate… damn Ardonius; that stupid Turian bastard. A one-time fling and then the next thing I know, my corporate email is being sold to the highest bidder. I hope OD-ing on those extra drugs was worth it you prick!'_

As she walked to the rendezvous point, she growled in frustration. The current "dry spell" in her life left her in a constantly bitchy mood and the irregular work times didn't help. She couldn't have any longer-term relationships and couldn't keep in touch with former comrades or friends while she was doing all the cloak-and-dagger work. She'd be having a nice long vacation after her little "payback-stint" working with Aethyta was over.

Enyala arrived at the meetup location just in time to see another hovercar landing.

Aethyta stepped from the vehicle wearing a distinctive suit of muted red armor. She wore a face which exuded a moody bitchiness that mirrored Enyala's own. The Matron irritably pounded at her Omni-Tool to dismiss her ride. Despite the obvious displeasure in the Matron's expression, it was difficult to tell what it was for. The Matron either: was tired, as sick of the crap she was put through as Enyala was, or merely _a little_ more annoyed with everything around her than usual. Aethyta wasn't known for having a bright personality even on the _best_ of days.

Enyala grinned widely, putting on her game-face she usually wore when doing her mercenary work.

"Well heya Aethyta! You look extra-tremendously more sourpuss than usual today! If you want to get more sleep, maybe we can call this whole thing off and-"

Aethyta gave the Mercenary a Biotically-powered kick to the stomach. If not for Enyala's quick-reaction in activating her _Barrier_ , she would have found herself smashed against one of the nearby cars and nursing a concussion. As it was, she got off mostly without a scratch, although her _Barrier_ wasn't good enough to stop all of the force from getting through.

Despite the severity of the attack, Enyala played it off good-naturedly. After all, it _was_ her fault; something which Aethyta was quick to remind her.

"Enough of the crap, Enyala. If I wanted a fake, annoying persona, I would've hired a prostitute for this job. At least then _one_ of us could be having a good time." The Matriarch sighed. "Now, did you read my email or will I have to beat _that_ information into you too?"

Enyala gave her boss a shocked expression.

"What do you mean "annoying persona"?! This is how I normally am!"

The Matron's right arm glowed with the Mass Effect and her eyes narrowed.

"That might be true in a couple hours, but I know you well enough that at this time of night you're either blackout drunk or nursing a hangover. So cut the annoying bullshit or-"

The "humbled" Mercenary placated the irritated Matron with an open-handed gesture.

"Alright, alright. I'll have you know that most people _love_ my "annoying bullshit"."

"I'm sure it's an acquired taste; like a shot of Ryncol or a shot to the face."

That got Enyala to snort a bit. ' _Well at least the crusty old hag still has a sense of humor.'_

Enyala made a play at looking thoughtful as she responded. "Anyway, to answer your question. Yes, I know all about our job. Ambush the Serrice Council deal and take back the thingy, right?"

Aethyta palmed her face and sighed before giving her Mercenary a glare.

"That "thingy" is a 90 million credit Neural-Interface Prototype stolen from a Binary Helix lab two weeks ago. Our contact in Serrice says that an undetermined seller is willing to trade for the prototype to Serrice Council." Her eyes narrowed. "Speaking of high-stakes… were you followed?"

Enyala rolled her eyes waving her Omni-Tool in front of her face.

"What do you think? My Omni-Tool's scanner was on the entire whole time. There was nothing out of the ordinary, just like every other night."

"That isn't good enough. They could be using long-distance observation or Drones to-"

"Yeah, "they" could've also hacked into the Illium satellite network and watched me eat breakfast." Enyala let out an exasperated sigh. "Look, I've done the best I could to keep my tracks covered. Not everyone is paranoid enough to spend hours every day doing active scans everywhere they go. I've always hid my face behind my helmet in combat and _you_ are the one who assured me that the enemy doesn't know anything about me or I would've quit and gone into hiding already. No one knows about the operation today. If it is anyone that's been followed, it's _you_ Miss "Thessian-Faction-Leader""

Aethyta glared.

"That's because I'm _always_ followed — I've so many tails it's hard to keep track sometimes — but I at least _know_ who they are and what they're doing. Right now, everyone following me thinks that I'm in the back-room of a bar and I have the video footage to prove it. Look-"

Aethyta seemed to catch herself before she went on _another_ one of her rants and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Well, it's too late to fix your mistakes now. Next time, could you at least do a little more _active_ scanning? I know you're not exactly used to this sneaking thing, but your ineptitude might have ruined this whole ambush tonight."

Enyala sarcastically nodded in agreement. "Well, since I'm being forced against my will to handle _your_ dirty laundry, the least I can do is make _your_ plan's more secure."

Aethyta rolled her eyes. "You owe me a helluva lot more than the little errands and favors I have you run. Need I remind you about _Cartagena Station?_ Even ignoring all the crap you put me through on Omega and the Hostage Crisis on Kolus, that alone-"

Enyala waved her off and groaned. "I get it, alright? Seriously, you don't need to bring up the ancient past like it's hot shit."

Aethyta sighed. "Only a baby Maiden like you would think 10 years ago is the 'ancient past'."

She began walking in the direction of their contract's destination and gestured for the younger Mercenary to follow.

"Being paid to protect Binary Helix Shipping in the sector and tutor Terith is hardly the 'tough life' you're making it out to be. You never hear _me_ complaining about all the shitty Biotics I'm teaching every day to keep up some semblance of a cover."

Enyala shrugged but in reality she really _was_ grateful for everything the Matron had done for her.

' _Her shitty attitude makes it so easy to give her shit for everything, but she's right that I can't complain. I'm making as much money as I ever would in the Terminus, but with better accommodations and less risk. While I'm annoyed at how boring it's been the past year, it's also meant less hospital visits and scaring.'_

Her face fell slightly.

' _Honestly, I'm more upset at how suddenly Aethyta's changed since I met her 30 years ago. Could the rumors that she's hit it off with some Binary Helix Shareholder on Thessia be true? It_ _ **would**_ _explain her suddenly giving a crap about the corporation and all the other Illium bullshit… and if that relationship is as saucy as the gossip makes it out to be than it explains how she's suddenly seems so intent on "Settling Down". It's the only explanation for how The Red Terror of the Terminus could stand staying on Illium and_ _ **teaching**_ _.'_

"Now that I think about it, why _are_ you doing boring shit like teaching? I mean, I'm only teaching because you've strong-armed me into it, but the Mercenary Leader _I_ knew wouldn't have been caught _dead_ with a brat like Terith or those Biotic deadbeats. Not to mention how you're working so hard to protect _corporate interests_. Where did-"

The Matron slapped the younger Asari on the back of the head, much to the latter's chagrin.

"Say rude shit like that to me again and I'll _show_ you how little has changed." She shook her head and scowled. "I've just… _grown up_ a bit. There's a lot of shit in this galaxy that could use a kick in the ass and sometimes… I need to use politics to get into proper ass-kicking distance."

Enyala laughed. "Politics?! Don't tell me that you're going to be a _Matriarch_ soon! Ha! I never thought I'd see the day!"

Aethyta grumbled and looked like she was contemplating hitting the Maiden again.

"Yeah, well, I sure as hell don't _feel_ Matriarchal… As for teaching. It started as just a cover but I guess… I just see the potential in Terith, that's all."

Enyala smirked slyly at the Matron.

"So it's the _Matron_ tendencies then. Thinking about having a kid? I know someone who could help-"

Enyala had to jump back to avoid Aethyta's roundhouse kick which took out a chunk of concrete where she had been standing. The Mercenary put up her hands in mock surrender under her boss' glare.

"I'm joking!" She shrugged. "Anyway, I can see what you mean at least. The kid looks more dead than alive most days. I've never seen an Asari that determined in my life. She'll be a real beast when she grows up… assuming she doesn't kill herself first."

The Matron's glare softened and she gestured for her subordinate to follow again.

"I saw that too. She tries her best to cover it up, but-" Aethyta's Omni-Tool beeped. Based on the time, it probably was to remind them that their operation would start in 30 minutes. "Anyway, that's enough small talk. I don't want to tip-off our targets that we're here and we have a lot of ground to cover. Let's move out."

— AE —

 **Block 41 Warehouses, Nos Astra Industrial District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 31-03-2560 GS**

Enyala and Aethyta stayed silent for the rest of the way. The former knew that talking any more would only get her hurt.

While on one hand she didn't really care about teasing her boss on her possible love life or her "maturity", on the other hand, she knew the powerful Biotic could kill her with a single finger if she wanted. She couldn't rely on the elder Asari's judgement to keep her uncrippled and she learned the hard way how bad it was to go into a potentially lethal situation when she wasn't at her best. Even if the contracts recently weren't all that particularly dangerous, the most dangerous ones were the one's that seemed easy on paper before they quickly turned into a shitshow. She prided herself on not taking stupid risks. It was probably why Aethyta trusted her with the jobs to begin with.

It was 20 minutes later before Aethyta halted in an alleyway and signaled the Mercenary to stop as well. Enyala peered out to where Aethyta was looking and only saw an ordinary warehouse with a few hovercars outside. The warehouse was a three-storey structure flanked by large balconeys on the second floor and a metal roof containing a few skylights and solar panels. The hovercars were large industrial-looking vehicles rather than the economical civilian models they had arrived in earlier.

She whispered quietly to her boss. "Aethyta, are you sure that this is the right place? This warehouse looks like all the other ones."

The Red-Armored Matron pointed to the hovercars in the distance. "You see that? Those are armored. Even if they weren't, think of where we are; this place is a glorified storage area. You can probably count on one hand how many people come through here every day. Why would two cars just be parked outside _this_ warehouse of all places. Of those, only employees would be out this late and they would be using cargo haulers to move the freight around, not hovercars. Not to mention-"

Aethyta suddenly forced the Maiden into cover behind a wall and crouched. She began scanning with her Omni-Tool and cursed under her breath.

"This could be a problem."

"What is it?"

Aethyta began fiddling with her Omni-Tool. "I'd been scanning for a while now, but now its come back with something. We have a Surveillance Drone in the area. Luckily Binary Helix gave me a military-grade hacking tool to freeze the software so we can get by undetected for this exact situation."

Enyala wasn't catching on. "Alright… so what's the problem? Use the hack and let's get going."

Aethyta turned to her and rolled her eyes. "What would you do if your drone suddenly stopped working for a few minutes or even just a few dozen seconds?"

Enyala caught on now. " _Right_ , I would think it's been hacked… or at least get very suspicious." Then she thought of another problem. "Alright, so I get that we can't just freeze it forever, but what happens once it unfreezes? Won't we be detected then? Unless we literally break into the warehouse, we'd be completely exposed."

Aethyta nodded. Carefully, she knelt around a corner and pointed over to the warehouse, specifically the roof. "You see that large overhang there, the one that's covering the second-story balcony of the warehouse? If we use our armor's magnetic boots to latch underneath it and crouch, we'll be outside of the drone's line-of-sight. If we seal our suits so that we aren't giving off any infrared, we're golden."

Enyala was unimpressed with the plan. "So what, we cling to the underside of the roof like a pair of bats? How would we see what's going on inside the warehouse if we're doing that?"

Aethyta rolled her eyes. "Omni-Fabricated camera. Do you have any other questions?"

Enyala huffed but internally felt a little stupid for not thinking of the obvious answer. _'Haven't had to do this "sneaky-stuff" for while. I must be getting rusty.'_ Still, she had to redeem herself somehow. "Yeah I have a question, how are we going to get to the warehouse fast enough to avoid suspicion?"

Ensuring the coast was clear, Aethyta hermetically sealed her suit. She turned to her subordinate with a smirk just barely visible underneath her semi-tinted helmet.

"Follow me… and try to keep up."

With a flourish of her Omni-Tool, the orange hard-light drone just outside of view suddenly stopped moving and hung in the air. Using a Biotic _Charge_ , Aethyta practically teleported towards the Warehouse; the red of her armor making the maneuver look like a laser. Before colliding with the wall, she used a _Lift_ on herself to flip upside-down and plant herself firmly underneath the overhang just as the drone began to move again. The whole maneuver lasted less than 2 seconds. Finally, her magnetic boots clamped onto the roof. In the rain, it was effectively silent.

Enyala clenched her fist in annoyance. It was a masterful use of Biotics and it pissed her off. ' _Argh! I can't just let Aethyta show me up like that! Us Maidens have some pride too, damnit!'_

Not to be outdone, Enyala mentally prepared herself for what was about to come. She sealed her suit and was met with the unpleasant odor of its recirculated air. She let out a groan as she waited for some signal from the Matron. Most Maidens like herself that didn't specialize in Biotics didn't have the finesse necessary to do a proper _Charge_ without killing themselves, but she was just barely able to pull off a short burst. ' _This is going to suck…'_

Enyala's Omni-Tool beeped and was fed information on the Drone. Just as it left the immediate area, a timer began to countdown: 5… 4… 3… 2… 1.

Using her own _Charge_ , Enyala leapt towards the Warehouse roof and instantly felt all her Nodules burning in pain from the overwork. It left her physically and biotically exhausted through-and-through. She would be out for a few minutes in both aspects.

Seeing this, Aethyta caught her subordinate in a _Lift_ just before she hit the wall of the warehouse and gently brought her underneath the overhang without a sound.

Enyala winced as her now-sensitive skin pushed up against her armor at awkward angles as she hung upside-down. It was made all the worse by the fear of discovery forcing her to clench hard on her core to keep herself from hanging limp underneath the overhang.

' _By the Goddess, ugh… won't be able to do that again any time soon. I can see why no one does that shit in combat but Matriarchs… and Aethyta… damn, it'll take several minutes for my nodules to stop stinging, ouch…'_

Through the discomfort, Enyala had noticed that her Boss had already micro-fabricated a tiny camera drone using her Omni-Tool and had commanded it on the edge of the window over to their right. With their positioning, they were unseen to any outside or inside observers. She focused her Omni-Tool onto the camera and found herself connected to the video feed.

It didn't take long, before several Asari wearing Yellow-and-Black armor appeared from one of the Warehouse's side-rooms.

A notification on her heads-up display notified her that someone wanted to contact her over radio. Sure enough, she turned to find Aethyta tapping her helmet in the universal "use the radio" gesture. Aethyta's voice came out with a slightly grainy quality to it, even despite being right next to one another. In spite of the enormous advances in telecommunications, no one wanted to pay for good radio equipment, especially in the Terminus. The Omni-manufactured headsets built into their helmets was "good-enough" and effectively free.

[I think we're in the clear.] Aethyta turned to Enyala. [The Maidens below aren't making any strange movements.]

The Mercenary nodded. [Makes sense. They look pretty busy down there. Unless the Drone detects something, I doubt they'll check on it until after this "trade" is done with.]

Aethyta input something into her Omni-Tool and the camera zoomed in. The insignia on the Maiden's armor could now be clearly made out: a bird of some kind superimposed on a sun.

[Well, that settles it.] Aethyta nodded. [There's no mistaking that insignia. I guess it's no surprise really. It seems that the Sisterhood of Dilinaga was the ones who stole the Neural-Implant after all.]

Enyala groaned to herself. ' _Not them again. Can't that cult of fanatics just go off and die already?!'_

The Sisterhood was the cause of most of Enyala's headaches recently. They were in the business of taking over Illium through any means: extortion, theft, murder and more. It was widely believed in the Thessian higher-circles that they could make the planet into even _more_ of a shithole than it already was which could greatly effect the bottom line of a number of Asari corporate interests. The Republics had tasked Binary Helix to uncover the plot and take them down. That's where Aethyta and herself came in. Enyala wasn't so sure the Sisterhood taking charge would change all _that_ much on Illium, but she certainly wouldn't lose sleep killing them by the dozen if she had to.

Enyala enabled her comms and responded.

[Then shouldn't they have the package on them right now? Why don't we drop in right now and say hello? I'd _love_ to show those fanatics my _appreciation_ for all the sleepless nights these last few weeks!]

Aethyta shook her head and gestured towards the window next to them.

They seemed to be doing something next to the doors.

[We can't tell if there are any more of them down there than what we can see. Those two hovercars we saw earlier could easily hold 4 each, yet there are only 4 people down there. Who knows what equipment or people they might have inside that we can't see?] Aethyta shook her head. [Besides, these Maiden lackeys aren't our target. If we drop in only to find out that these Maidens are just a scouting force, then this lead will just be a dead-end. We need that stolen implant; revenge can come later.]

Enyala tilted her head to one side, looking down at the armored figures planting Omni-Fabricated mines at the warehouse's side entrances while keeping their hands on their weapons and looking around themselves at all times.

[How are you so sure they're just lackeys? They seem pretty professional to me. I know that the Sisterhood uses a lot of "disposable" Maiden conscripts — I should know with how many I've taken out — but you of all people know that we shouldn't underestimate them.]

Aethyta sighed with a slow shake of her head.

[When you work in this industry as long as I have — especially in fighting inexperienced Asari — you start to notice things. Right now, they're placing mines at the side-exits but it's all wrong. They're just setting the mines down all next to each other by the doors, see? While that will take out someone's Kinetic Barriers, it also means that they are easier to see and avoid. One shot in the wrong place or just sidesteping them altogether and all that hard-work and expense was worthless. It's better to stagger them and-]

Before Aethyta could finish, they both heard a noise. The second-half of the "deal" had arrived. The both of them immediately stopped their conversation and watched the scene play out below them with their complete focus.

Wearing white armor with green and orange details, the people entering were clearly representatives of Serrice Council if the logos on they sported were of any indication. The three Asari and one Salarian walked into the warehouse cautiously; taking the time to scan everything with Omni-Tools. While neither party directly pointed their weapons at the other, it was clear from their behavior and the position of their teams that they did not trust one another.

Enyala eagerly pulled out her "Earthquake Mk VII" shotgun in preparation.

[Should we strike now? If we get them while they're still unsure of each others' allegiance, we could make it look like they betrayed each other!]

Aethyta gripped Enyala's shoulder tightly and shook her head.

[Hold on. We still need to confirm that they have what we're looking for first. If we go down there and they don't have the missing prototype, then this was all for nothing. Worse, our informant could be killed for it. Besides, they aren't ever going to trust each other no matter how long they have; I know I wouldn't. Let's just sit tight and wait for a good opportunity for surprise.]

Enyala groaned but didn't protest. Below them, the transaction went by unhindered.

One of the Dilinaga Sisterhood's representatives stepped forwards and yelled out to the other party. "Are you the buyer?!"

A similar "leader" stood apart from the Serrice Council's group as well. Despite the Asari's move to stand closer to the Sisterhood Acolytes, the 40 meter gap between them made it clear that they were still "testing the waters" with each other.

"We are. But before that, confirm your identities!"

The Asari wearing the yellow and black armor of the Sisterhood nodded her head. "The water-dove dives into the pool, aware of its depth."

The Serrice Council leader wearing white nodded and responded with the counter-phrase. "A fish struggles, helpless against the talons. It finds its match."

Each of the parties turned back to their groups and spoke to them. At once, they all lowered their weapons and got into more comfortable positions; albeit only slightly.

Enyala audibly groaned into her radio. [Wow, could those code-phrases be any more cliché? Can't these cults just use password authentication like normal people?]

Aethyta ignored her excitable protégé and listened intently. She scowled when she found that she already missed the first part of the conversation below.

"-one of you meet me at the center of the Warehouse. We will make the exchange and confirm the contents before leaving."

The Armored Asari representing the Serrice Council shook her head.

"I will make the exchange but will pass your package to the Salarian here. I won't accept you leaving until he confirms it."

The Sisterhood shrugged her shoulders in tacit approval of the plan and brought her suitcase up in front of her, the other Asari doing the same.

"On three."

"One!"

Enyala smirked under her helmet. [Wouldn't it be super dramatic if we-]

"Two!"

Aethyta took out a pistol and pointed it briefly at the younger Asari's head, not even bothering to look away from the scene unfolding below. [No.]

"Three!"

Enyala's unspoken plan to attack during the count was left unrealized and the two parties below tossed their respective briefcases successfully. The Serrice Council Asari passed the briefcase over to the Salarian of the group who inspected the contents while the lead Sisterhood Acolyte looked through her briefcase herself.

Aethyta began synthesising a bundle of objects with her Omni-Tool and turned to her Mercenary.

[If that Salarian confirms the goods, I'll drop these flashbangs into the room and we drop in. With the everyone focused on the Salarian's conclusion, they will be at their most vulnerable and I'll have the info I need to make the call. Ready?]

Enyala rolled her shoulders with anticipation. [Born ready. I was getting _super_ tired of all this "sneaky stuff" anyway. Let's make some noise.]

Unaware of their conversation, the Acolyte voiced her confirmation first. "The credit transfer looks good."

Moments later, the Salarian nodded. "It looks good! This is the prototype, capt-"

Neither of them heard the rest. Aethyta tore off the reinforced window in front of her with her biotics and threw the flashbangs into the room below. A quick flourish of her Omni-Tool and the room was bathed in light, gas, and sound. The two groups fell into chaos and yelled out into the large warehouse in confusion.

"Argh!"

"What's going on!"

"Damn, this was a trap, I _knew_ it!"

"Secure the briefcase!"

[Now!]

At Aethyta's signal, the two of them fell to the ground with a loud thud, not bothering to waste Biotic energy to cushion their fall when their armor did a satisfactory job. Instead, Enyala focused all her energy on maintaining a strong _Push_ which knocked some of the Sisterhood's Acolytes aside and let Aethyta handle throwing two singularities: one at each of the groups.

Caught completely surprised, neither group was prepared to fight back against the grey and red armored intruders and instead fell back to safety behind cover, their suitcases both caught in Aethyta's _Singularities_. Two Asari from each of the groups were caught in the Singularities and yelled out to their respective teammates in shock.

"Damnit, I'm stuck!"

"Get us out of this! I can't pull out of the field! Someone help me out with a _Pull_ or something!"

Aethyta gestured towards the white-armored Serrice Soldiers. [Focus on Serrice. We need the implant.] Enyala nodded.

Before the groups could respond to the pleas of their trapped comrades, Enyala and Aethyta took out their Armax Arsenal shotguns and got to work gunning down the frozen members of the Serrice Council with accurate fire. In mere moments, the enemies' Barriers and Kinetic Shields failed and quickly their armor was torn to shreds. The two corpses clattered to the ground in a heap as Aethyta dismissed the now-redundant _Singularity_. The remaining Serrice Council representatives were not so easy prey, however, and were already firing at them before they could catch them by surprise.

Aethyta scowled at the development as Enyala and herself quickly hid behind cover. [I was hoping the Flash Bangs would disorient them a little longer than that.]

Enyala shrugged. [They probably had their suit countermeasures already activated. It seems you were right about them not trusting the Sisterhood.]

The last remaining Serrice Council Asari let out a loud warcry.

"You bastards! You killed Aris! You Sisterhood fucks aren't getting out of this alive! You hear me!"

Aethyta and Enyala didn't bother to correct the assumption and instead strengthened their _Barriers_ and raced out of cover. The fire from the Salarian and Asari's Assault Rifles did little more than tickle their Barriers. Before they could react to the surprising effectively of their opponents, they found themselves flanked by the assaulting twin Asari on both sides.

[Into the doorway, now!] Aethyta yelled into her radio.

With a synchronization that could have only come from years of cooperation, Aethyta and Enyala _Threw_ both enemies against towards a nearby entranceway to one of the many side-rooms of the warehouse. The two Serrice representatives landed face-first into the collection of mines planted there earlier by the Sisterhood. With a great _bang_ the two exploded in a great fireball and tore out a section of the warehouse along with them.

[Hell yeah!] Enyala yelled. Looking around the ground around her, she was quick to find the suitcase that had been thrown to the floor earlier.

Enyala activated a compartment on the weapon-holster on her back and stored the prototype inside. [Prototype Secure. What about the Sisterhood?]

She didn't get a response and so turned to find that Aethyta was on the other side of the warehouse. The Matron was trying to hold down a hovercar with her biotics, but It was fruitless. Two Asari opened the doors of the car and began to fire on her and so she was forced to put up a _Barrier_. Aethyta was good, but she wasn't Matriarch-level. The moment the _Barrier_ ignited around her, the hovercar pulled out from her Biotic grip and began making its way into the sky. She collapsed onto one knee.

Enyala called out to her. [Aethyta! Are you alright?!]

The Matron quickly got up and started running towards her. [They somehow got out of my _Singularity_ and are getting away! I scanned their registration and signatures so we should be able to track them. If we can take them out before they escape, we might have a chance to interrogate them on their leadership!]

Enyala nodded in understanding. ' _Damn, that's right. The Sisterhood's been a thorn in our side because we don't know anything about them. It would kick some serious ass if we could interrogate some of those fanatics and finally put them down once and for all.'_

Desiding that she had enough of the recirculated air, and figuring that their cover was as blown as it could ever be, she disengaged her armor's hermetic seal, but was careful not to reveal her face in case there was still some surveillance left nearby.

"How are we going to go after them?"

Aethyta ignored the question and instead raced out the door to where the Serrice hovercars were lying in wait.

Enyala caught on quick. "Ah, gotchya; so do you know how to hotwire the car?"

Aethyta laughed. "Who the hell do you think you're talking to? You think I lived as long as I have in the Terminus without picking up on the essential skills?"

To emphasize that point, she practically ripped one of the doors off with her Biotics. The car let out a loud wail as the security system went off.

It was short lived.

Aethyta ripped off the back panel of the haptic interface, Omni-Fabricated an adaptive IO-to-wireless shunt, and jammed it into the circuit board. Not 10 seconds later and her Omni-Tool had rewritten the car's Firmware.

Enyala looked at her boss in surprise at how effortless she'd made it seem. Hovercars were supposed to have some of the most sophisticated security protocols on the consumer market.

"Well? You going to just stand there or are we going to finally get some damn answers?"

— AE —

 **Block 48 Parking Lot, Nos Astra Industrial District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 31-03-2560 GS  
** _Perspective - Nos Astra University Student - Terith - Asari Undergraduate in Ship Engineering - 21 Years Old_

 **45 Minutes Earlier**

Seeing Enyala land in the Block 49 Parking Lot of the Nos Astra Industrial District, Terith overshot her and landed in the 48th Parking Area.

For fear of being discovered, she hadn't used any of her Surveillance equipment — which could be discovered — and instead relied on searching for clues the old fashioned way. Even in the rain, there was still a faint infrared signature to follow. While such a trail would be useless in tracking down someone specific, Terith could safely conclude that in such an isolated part of Nos Astra, Enyala would be the only one that could possibly be detected.

Which was where the first bit of confusion manifested, for there was two signatures.

' _What's going on? Did another hovercar land while I ran over here? There wasn't anyone I could see in the Parking Lot when I flew by.'_

Luckily, it seemed that the two signatures were at least travelling in the same direction.

For the next 5 or so minutes, the signatures were clear, distinct, and travelling in one direction, making them easy to follow. Then things suddenly got harder. The signature began to fade faster and faster. Terith got to running, and she found herself barely keeping pace. Then the signatures began to dart in-between buildings. Had they discovered her? She couldn't afford to think about it. Soon, she found herself in the middle of a Warehouse block with no signature in sight. The rain had washed away all trace of her quarry and she was lost.

She slammed a balled fist into one of the nearby metal walls, instantly regretting the move as pain flared in her hand. ' _Damnit! What the hell?! I get_ _ **this**_ _close and for what? I guess there's only one thing left to do.'_

She took out her Surveillance Drone and launched it into the sky. ' _This is it. It's almost guaranteed to get discovered but I've run out of options. I_ _ **know**_ _that Enyala is up to something! She and her accomplice aren't going to be able to hide from me any longer.'_

It took another 10 minutes before something finally happened. Even despite staring at the Drone's video feed non-stop, she almost missed it. The video seemed to freeze for an instant; only for a few seconds. Her suspicions were confirmed when — not a minute later — it happened again.

' _What the heck is going on?'_

She checked the Drone's log for any errors that might explain the glitch but there was none; in fact the log had nothing for that time. For a complicated machine like a Surveillance Drone, to not give even a single piece of information for several seconds was unheard of.

' _What could this mean?'_

Instead of trying to answer the question, she set the drone to hover in the area and began running towards it. Looking at the area in the Drone's vision, it didn't look like anything special: it was a simple warehouse with a few empty cars parked outside. On closer inspection of the Drone's other surveillance channels, she found a completely different picture begin to form. While nothing showed up on any of the video channels like infrared, the Drone did pick up noise coming from the warehouse. Zooming in closer, she found the warehouse was full of armored Asari: armored Asari whose armor and actions were specifically designed to remain undetected by routine scanning.

It was finally at this moment that the whole situation finally clicked. Something big was going down in this warehouse: one that was in the same general direction that Enyala was headed. It couldn't be coincidence. She looked away from the video and doubled her pace.

' _This is it, this is what I've been searching for. Finally I'm going to get some damn answers!'_

— AE —

 **Codex Entry - Factions: The Sisterhood of Dilinaga  
** _Transcript from "Dilinaga: A Biography of the Most Infamous Matriarch", Chapter 21_

It should be clear to those reading this biography that Dilinaga was an exceptional individual. So it should come to no surprise that a following of her philosophy of self-betterment and exploration arose following the discovery of her writings. Many of these would soon meld into existing schools of thought or organizations which evolved and grew as more were found. One of these organizations, however, stood the test of time and even rivaled entire planets in political control at the zenith of its power: the Sisterhood of Dilinaga.

The Sisterhood — as it is often called— was the product of the collapse of many Asari religious institutions in the face of space colonization in -85 GS. With the great expense involved, the many previously disparate religious devotees found themselves working together with religious rivals. The collectivist mindset which evolved outpaced many of the religion's capacity to adapt. This "philosophical vacuum" gave rise to many Asari seeking out spiritual organizations to fill in the hole created by this loss of faith. These short decades would see the rise and fall of thousands of religious orders which attempted to unite the Asari. This vacuum ended in -41 GS with the discovery of the first of Dilinaga's Writings.

Dilinaga's quest for the "Ultimate Knowledge" — a biotic enlightenment she claimed could be attained through meditation and contemplation in places of intense Dark Energy — was something that seemed to touch all Asari on a personal level. The "Great Thessian Diaspora" resulted as many Asari left their homeworld in search of the "unique feelings of Biotics" throughout the Universe Dilinaga wrote of. Many acolytes of this so-called "Dilinagan Meditation" began to band together and share ideas. The Sisterhood was formed as these bands organized themselves.

The meteoric rise of the Sisterhood in these early years of space exploration was short-lived. When the Asari made First Contact with the Salarians in -24 GS it drastically lost support. The influx of Salarian philosophy and reason called into question the necessity of religion and spirituality and the Salarian's mere existence upended many old and well established schools of thought. At the time, it was common knowledge for most Asari that sapience was a byproduct of the complex intricacies of Mass Effect fields interacting with an organic brain and that Biotics was a manifestation of the "Dark Energy Imprint" created from this "soul". However, it was now clear to most Asari that there were few differences between biotic and non-biotic Salarians or even between Salarians and Asari as far as sapience was concerned. This drastic change in the Asari Philosophy was the death knell for almost every Asari religion and quashed the hopes of the Sisterhood's supremacy as the leading spiritual institution.

With Biotics being uncovered as merely an Asari-specific quirk of evolution and not a foundational aspect of sapient life, the Dilinagan Meditations lost favor in the spiritual community. Once again, a lack of religion created a vacuum and once again gave rise to a new religion to unite the spiritual Asari once more. The Siari Religion founded by Argana T'Soni in -66 GS — which had been on the brink of dissolution at the time — was suddenly placed on a pedestal as the pinnacle of spirituality. With the Asari's ability to meld with other sapient life like the Salarians, the idea of a Universal spirit which bound all life was suddenly a credible explanation of how the universe worked for many Asari.

While the Sisterhood lost favor with the general public, it did not collapse. Even today, small sects of the faith still exist in all corners of the galaxy. While its modern, xenophobic image and prejudice to non-biotics has made it a hard sell to most Asari, it's strong adherence to meditation, self-betterment, and organizational structure still appeal to some. The few followers it does have are extremely devote and regularly organize charities and fund the construction of buildings to further the advancement of Biotics Research and promote awareness for their "Crusade" to "uplifit" everyone to biotic-hood. To this day, the Sisterhood of Dilinaga is a controversial and hotly-discussed topic. It is seen by some as an effective organization in the spread and promotion of superior Asari culture. To others, it is an uncomfortable reminder that the stereotype of Asari tolerance towards all alien life is not entirely true.


	11. Arc 2: Ch 6

**Author's Note:** Well, this chapter ended up being much longer than anticipated (at over 10k words, it's my longest one yet) but I made it in record time! Thanks to everyone that left a comment. I appreciate all of your support and input. Also a few important canon characters make their first appearance this chapter. Enjoy!

— AE —

 **Block 41 Warehouses, Nos Astra Industrial District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 31-03-2560 GS  
** _Perspective - Nos Astra University Student - Terith - Asari Undergraduate in Ship Engineering - 21 Years Old_

 **15 Minutes Later**

Terith stood at the entrance of the warehouse with a stupefied expression. The sight before her was more conclusive than she could have ever hoped, yet more terrifying than even her paranoid mind could've conjured.

Even at a casual glance, it was clear that the warehouse was the scene of a deadly battle. Even without the blood — all the blood — her Surveillance Drone had caught every second of it. Enyala — in the grey armor she'd last seen her Vocal Coach wearing — appeared seemingly from thin air with a red-armored compatriot. Less than a minute later, 3 Asari and a Salarian were dead, half the warehouse was destroyed by explosives and the mutilated corpses were left to rot, exposed to the rain and the elements by the blown-out hole in the roof.

It was one thing to have seen it on her drone, it was another thing entirely to see if in person. To smell it… to practically _taste_ it.

' _It's not the worst thing I've seen…'_

The tattered, bloody remnants of the people before her didn't compare to the screams of mercy and fear she'd seen on the day of the Quarian Incident. She'd witnessed the brutal murders of dozens of innocent people right before her eyes. She had felt guilty for aiding and abetting those terrorists… even if she could never have known their true motivations. It wasn't her fault, but it felt like it.

With the scene before her, she barely felt anything at all, not even guilt. She wasn't thinking how horrifying the scene was or mourning the loss of sapient life no different than herself. She was merely commenting on how it could have been _worse_.

' _I guess there really_ _ **is**_ _a difference between seeing it and experiencing it, isn't there? Well_ _…_ _I think I've wasted enough time on that_ _…_ _I need information.'_

She'd learned the hard way with Teema'Koris vas Sholat that information was power. Perhaps she could blackmail a ticket off of Illium with the information? Perhaps she could protect herself from the fallout of this conspiracy she was in the midst of unraveling? No matter what she was going to do with the information, knowing more would keep her safe.

' _Why had Enyala come here? What was she doing killing Serrice Council employees in a Warehouse? Who were those yellow-and-black-armored Asari who fled the scene…?'_

She yawned and rubbed her head. She took another Aylith pill for good measure. ' _Argh… all those all-night stakeouts are taking their toll. I'm going to need some serious sleep after this… I just need to stop thinking and start doing.'_

Before she entered, she made sure to disable the security cameras in the room. Her hacking skills had greatly improved since she first created her botnet. She was no pro, but simple systems like the one in the warehouse were a piece-of-cake now. With no VI managing them and no anti-intrusion measures in place to issue an alarm to the outside world when the security was breached, she could be as brutal and imprecise in her hacking as she wanted.

Once that was take care of, she walked up to the first two dead Asari.

Their armor had been breached in dozens of places and purple Asari blood tricked out of the holes and onto the floor. She did her best to tiptoe around the liquid and almost gagged at the stench of blood. Thankfully, the bodies themselves didn't smell — it was still too early for them to decompose that much — or she might not have been able to handle it. Gingerly, she took the Omni-Tool off of the first corpse, being careful not to touch the body or make any contact with her skin. CSI-esque shows were popular — even in the alien future she found herself in — so she knew to take a steps to avoid leaving any physical evidence behind. The last thing she wanted was to be blamed for a crime she didn't commit.

It was a weird dissociation she was having between her logic and emotion. She knew, logically, that she needed this data to survive Illium's bullshit, but emotionally, she wanted nothing to do with this. Eventually, her logic won out.

' _I don't care how they died. Honestly, I'm doing them a service. Maybe I'll have Enyala and her accomplice arrested; maybe I can even implicate Aethyta and throw this whole conspiracy in the light. What's the big deal anyway; don't Asari believe souls just join the Universe or some shit? Even by Asari standards, corpses are-'_

She slipped on something and fell backwards onto the floor as she tore the Omni-Tool from the literal death-grip of the dead Asari, breaking the Asari's wrist and leaving the hand dangling. Confused at what she slipped on, Terith looked down to find herself sitting in a pool of dark purple blood, the disturbing _warmth_ of it seeping into the one-piece uniform she wore underneath her Kinetic Barriers.

Like waking up, she froze; suddenly hyper-aware of what was going on. She looked down at her hands, seeing the bloody Omni-Tool in her hands and her arms began to shake.

She tried to calm herself with breathing exercises. "J-just keep it together… this isn't a big deal… Damnit! I can't do this!"

Standing up, she tossed the Omni-Tool in her hands to the ground and felt the startling change from hot to cold beneath her; she was no longer wading in blood. Her whole body shook as she slowly stepped away.

Her rationalizations from before weren't comforting her now. In fact, they all seemed to be pointing towards the same horrifying conclusion she knew deep down. She wasn't being noble; that was just a pretense, and a pathetic one. This went far beyond what she _needed_ to do. She had all the information she needed the moment her drone recorded the battle. She could look up the insignia on the armors later; she could use some processing software to fix the audio and maybe listen in on what was said.

A brittle smile appeared on her face. ' _Illium's finally changed me, hasn't it? The more I investigate, the more Illium reveals just how_ _ **fucked**_ _I really am.'_

She didn't run away though, not anymore. Not even as something hot and wet stung her eyes. "It's too late now… it's too late for a normal life, isn't it?"

She bent down and clenched the bloody Omni-Tool on the ground tightly in her grasp. "I'm not an idiot… I guess I just never wanted to accept it… the fact that it was too late to have a normal life since the moment I was _born_ on this _fucking planet!_ "

Her heart began to race. "Well if it's already too late, then there is nothing left to hold me back is there?"

She chuckled darkly to herself. "I can't let something as _illogical_ as "morality" hold me back, right? I mean, you can't expect _civil_ ity without _civil_ ization and there's none of that on Illium."

She looked up at the sky and yelled. "You hear that you corporate _fucks_ , you won, alright?! I'll do everything I can to survive. I'll hack terminals, steal from the dead… m-murder, I'll do whatever it takes."

She forced down her haggard breathing and steeled herself for what she was about to do. She walked towards the corpses again.

— AE —

 **Skies above Nos Astra, Nos Astra Industrial District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 31-03-2560 GS  
** _Perspective - Ice-Cold Biotic Badass - Matron Aethyta - Binary Helix Mercenary - 984 Years Old_

 **10 Minutes Earlier**

Aethyta looked out from the hovercar's broken driver-side door; a door she herself broke just a few minutes earlier. She scanned the Nos Astran horizon using her armor's visor at 10x and 100x magnification but could not find her quarry. There was no disturbance in the traffic nearby nor was there anything picked up by the Nos Astra Traffic Police radio she was tuned into. It could very well be that they had gone to ground by now and there would never _be_ anything to report.

"I can't see the Sisterhood's armored hovercars anywhere. Enyala, can you pick up anything on the sensors?"

The Mercenary shook her head as she looked up from her Omni-Tool. "Nothing. Even boosting the signal with the radio from the car isn't good enough. This piece of junk doesn't even have the range to scan more than a few dozen kilometers. Picking up plenty of birds though…"

The former Mercenary Captain scowled. It appeared that the hovercar she had stolen from the Serrice Mercenaries was even lower quality than she feared. While it was plenty fast enough to catch up to a few lumbering armored vehicles — even if they had a one-minute head start — it had no protective plating nor could it even boost a scan to a few dozen kilometers. It didn't come to as a surprise to the Matron though. She had worked with many corporations in the past. While they all had no problem spending billions of credits on advertising and product development, they minded every credit for anything else. It seemed that Serrice Council was no exception.

"It'll be catching minnows in the ocean at this rate." She sighed.

Enyala sighed along with her employer and looked up from the sensor readings. "Do you think we were too hasty in following them? The Serrice Omni-Tools might have had something of value on them."

The Matron rolled her eyes. "It would have been just like last time and the time before that. There would've been some contact information to an anonymous IP in the terminus, _maybe_ an ambiguous message about "the job" and that would be it. Even if this chase turns up nothing, I regret nothing chasing after them immediately." She shook her head. "We aren't going to get anywhere like this… I think I'm going to call in a favor."

The Maiden perked up at this and gave her a coy grin. "Oh? Calling your girlfriend?"

The Matron rolled her eyes but did not outright deny it. Putting the hovercar into autopilot, she aggressively threw the haptic controls over to her annoying subordinate. "Get to driving while I make the call. Get us to the Core District. We're going to have to work fast if we want to catch up to those Sisterhood cars."

Not waiting for a response, she hermetically sealed her suit so that no sound from her conversation would leak. ' _As much as I trust Enyala as a mercenary, there's no way I'm letting her listen in on my communications. This little 'conspiracy game' makes that far too dangerous for everyone involved. There's a reason I've had her keep her helmet on at all times for these operations. The last thing I want is more people involved.'_

Accessing the contact information on her Omni-Tool, she input her password and created a secure communication channel to Thessia.

An image appeared of a purplish-blue Asari Maiden in her helmet's Heads-Up Display. The young Asari bowed her head slightly in respect the moment she saw who she was talking to. [Matron Aethyta, it an honor to speak with you. Unfortunately Mistress Benezia is not available to-]

Aethyta scowled. [I don't have the time or the patience for pleasantries, Shiala.] She input the Sisterhood vehicles' registration into her Omni-Tool and sent it over the secure channel. [I am sending you information on a set of vehicles. I need you to use Binary Helix's pull with the Illium Traffic Control Center and the Motor Vehicle Authority to track them down.]

Shiala seemed to come to a realization. [Oh! Is this related to the recent mission to-]

[ _No. Time._ Do you understand? Our investigation is riding on this. Get it done and get it done _now_.]

Shiala looked at her with wide eyes but immediately acquiesced to her demands.

Aethyta groaned in frustration as her hot temper began to simmer while she waited for the results. ' _Normally I wouldn't be so hard on such an ass-kissing Maiden — she's only in her 90s — but she's always had an 'absent-mindedness' about her that I_ _ **really**_ _don't want to deal with right now.'_

She impatiently tapped her fingers as she waited for a response.

— AE —

 **Skies above Nos Astra, Nos Astra Core District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 31-03-2560 GS**

 **5 Minutes Later**

The stolen hovercar circled 10km above the Core District; there were no other cars in sight.

While not technically illegal, most vehicles stayed close to the surface to save on energy. Since they had no clue where they would be headed next, their height would give them a small edge by letting gravity speed them up a little when going into a dive and their central position would allow them to travel anywhere in Nos Astra quickly.

Enyala groaned and clenched her fists in frustration. "Has your contact still not gotten back to us yet? Those armored cars might be slow but they've got to be long gone by now."

Aethyta was just as frustrated, but did not show any outward signs. "Be patient. We're in the heart of Nos Astra now. No matter where those cars are, we'll-"

Her Omni-Tool beeped and the Matron wasted no time sealing her armor and demanding answers. [Tell me where.]

The flustered face of Shiala was taken aback by the suddenness of her response. [Uh… um, the last known position of those registrations were right next to each other in Lane 12 of the Nos Astra Financial District, but-]

[Got it, thanks.]

[Your welc-]

Ending the call and unsealing her armor, Aethyta turned to the driver. "Lane 12 Financial! Move!"

The Mercenary gave her a mock salute. "You got it boss!"

Enyala throttled the car to maximum causing the both of them to slam back into their seats by the acceleration. The car dove into free-fall towards their destination going from 0 to 250km/h in less than 20 seconds. Aethyta had to hold the broken driver-side door closed with her Biotics for fear of it ripping off. Losing even a little of the fragile car's aerodynamics and they would be spinning wildly out-of-control.

Before they reached the height of the Nos Astra skyscrapers, Enyala leveled out the car. When the drive once again smoothed itself out, Aethyta began to busy herself with the car's scanner to try — once again — to pick up any trace left by Sisterhood's vehicles. It took them only a minute to reach their destination at the speeds they were going. The moment they did, her Omni-Tool went off showing a valid signature to the southeast. The two vehicles were travelling much slower than what she expected.

The Matron grinned. ' _Must have messed up one of the cars' Drive Cores when I'd grabbed it in my Biotics.'_

"I found them!" She pointed ahead. "There! To the left of those cone-shaped buildings; you see the two cars?"

Enyala nodded. "Got them in my sights. Let's say hello!"

Once again the car went into a dive towards their prey; this time leveling out a few hundred meters from the ground.

Their stunt did not go unnoticed. Before they got within range of the armored hovercars, they found themselves being shot at. The Mass-Accelerated rounds easily pierced the flimsy, molded-aluminum frame and glass of their hovercar. Glass fragments went everywhere. If it weren't for their armor they were wearing, the salvo would have killed the two of them right there.

The hovercar shuddered and Enyala worked hard keeping it stable. "Shit! Aethyta, I'm not sure how much more we can take of this! My armor can take some hits, but if the Drive Core fails, we'll be _flattened_ at the speeds we're going!"

' _Well, time for Plan B.'_ Aethyta looked at their surroundings and formulated a plan. She pointed to the a Lane of oncoming traffic nearby. "Get behind that lane of cars and hold out for a second. I have an idea."

"Roger."

The car swerved to the right and dodged the civilian car just in time for it to take some gunfire and fall from the sky. Dozens of cars were being hit by the array of ammunition being fired, yet they kept coming. Their civilian self-driving protocols didn't have the sensor or algorithmic capacity to handle the military situation. She felt a little guilty risking the lives of innocent civilians, but taking out the Sisterhood and staying alive was more important.

In the meantime, Aethyta clenched her teeth and pulled as much focus as she could get out of her mind into her Biotic Nodules. All at once, she let out a breath and slammed her hands into the car's dashboard. Her Biotics covered the car in a large _Barrier_.

Enyala looked at her with a stupefied expression. "Holy shit! I didn't know you could cover a _hovercar_ with a barrier!"

Aethyta spoke through clenched teeth. "I. Can't. Hold. This. Forever. Get close. To them and. Take. Them. _Out!_ "

The Mercenary snapped out of her awe and nodded sheepishly. "Right, on it."

The car broke out of cover and the _Barrier_ was immediately inundated with a hailstorm of gunfire. Through the attack, Enyala drove right into pursuit, quickly catching up to the slower vehicles. Aethyta glanced at her driver to see she had put the car into autopilot and took out a Haliat Armory "Lightning Mk IV" Assault Rifle from her back. While the shotgun was a better make, the assault rifle had better armor-piercing power and would be more accurate at these ranges.

Enyala rolled down the side window and boldly stuck her upper-body halfway out of the car. "Let's see how you like it when we fight back!"

Her rifle fire hit the trailing vehicle but did little damage; its armor plating was too thick. Still, it appeared that it did _something_ because it immediately flew away, breaking off from its sister vehicle.

' _They're splitting up. Damn. Still, if we can at least get one…'_ Aethyta made a split-second decision. "After. The. Fleeing. Vehicle. It's. Slower."

Enyala picked up what she was putting down. "Right! On it."

The Mercenary set the autopilot to follow the vehicle that just broke off and continued her assault. All the while, Aethyta held off the return fire with her shields but it was starting to get difficult. She could see the Mass Effect begin to slip off the edges of the vehicle.

"Get. That. Car. Grounded… Can't. Hold…"

"How can I-" The Maiden suddenly stopped herself and a smirk appeared on her face.

Aethyta frowned. ' _Whatever she just thought of_ _ **can't**_ _be good.'_

It wasn't.

Putting away her Assault Rifle, Enyala took back control of the vehicle and sped forwards. Using the car's superior speed, she got above the other car and dropped down onto its roof with a violent _smash_. The resulting jolt knocked Aethyta around and forced her to drop the _Barrier_. Now at point-blank range, the enemy Asari easily punched through the vehicle and a few of the shots struck her armor.

"Damnit Enyala! What the hell are you doing?!"

"I have a plan! Just watch!"

The former Mercenary Captain _did_ see the plan, much to her dismay. The two cars began to sink. While their hovercar's Drive Core was a piece of crap, the combined force of it and the gravity on both cars was just enough to overcome the Sisterhood vehicle. The bottom vehicle tried its best to swerve out from under them, but it only served to make them fall faster as precious lifting power was diverted.

Enyala took the opportunity to take out her shotgun. The enemy Asari and her got into a firing match for a few seconds, but neither could take the other out. In the end, the stalemate forced the Sisterhood Acolyte back inside.

The moment of reprieve was enough for Aethyta to disengage her _Barrier_ around the car and take out her own shotgun. She looked outside to see the tops of some of the smaller buildings pass by. "Crap, I think these Sisterhood goons might actually be suicidal. They aren't slowing down; we'll be crash landing at this rate!"

The Mercenary grimaced. "That's not a risk I want to take. Can you slow them down with your Biotics?"

The Matron shook her head. "It didn't work the first time and my nodules are burnt out after that _Barrier_ and with _two_ vehicles now…" She took motioned to the doors. "Drop down and tag-team them?"

Enyala didn't respond right away, but stared at her in shock. "Look out behind you!"

It was just enough time for Aethyta to turn around and see the second armored car speed right at them from the side. It's only thanks to her instincts that she is able to put up a _Barrier_ before being hit head-on.

— AE —

The next few minutes were hazy.

The first clear thought comes shortly after pulling herself up off the ground. She barely remembered getting ejected from the hovercar — her seatbelt breaking off from the impact — and smashing arm-first into the ground. She winced as she tried to move her left arm and saw that the armor was mostly gone, revealing blood-soaked skin beneath. Luckily, it seems that she could still move her fingers.

' _Shit… shoulder's dislocated. Armor must've used Eezo to ablate the composite on impact or I'd be missing a limb right now… Always_ _ **nice**_ _to have a reminder that buying quality armor is money well spent.'_

Grunting, she bit down on an armored finger. Despite her centuries of experience, she still needed to hold back a yell as she used Biotics to cleanly pop her shoulder back into place. She tried moving it but apart from being less painful, it was little better than before.

' _Won't be using that arm for the next few minutes, but at least it won't get any worse… better than broken, I guess.'_

Now standing, she took out her shotgun and wielded it in her good arm. She briefly examined her surroundings to find over a hundred Nos Astran citizens fleeing the scene in panic. She turned to glance behind her and grimaced; the stolen Serrice vehicle she had just been riding in was completely trashed after smashing into a nearby building. Turning back, she squinted into the distance to see that the armored car they'd been trying to ground also looked totaled after skidding a hundred-or-so meters further ahead. The second Sisterhood vehicle was also grounded and appeared to be helping board their comrades.

' _No way I'm letting that happen.'_ Aethyta grinded her teeth together. ' _You're not **getting away** after this bullshit you just pulled.'_

Taking aim, she used biotics to handle the recoil as she one-arm-fired her shotgun at the 4 Asari. Immediately they scattered.

"Damn, she's still alive."  
"She might be good, but she looks injured."  
"Right! Wasea, get the heavy weapons! Ena, Terali, stagger warps while provide covering fire!"  
"Yes sir!"

Aethyta smirked behind her helmet and got down into a crouch. ' _That's cute. The Maidens actually think they have a chance.'_

As the three Asari began charging their Biotics, the Former Mercenary Leader did a _Charge_ and found herself immediately amongst their ranks.

"Oh shit-!"  
"Wha-?!"  
"How-?!"

Before her enemies had time to react, Aethyta swept a leg, tripping one of the Maidens and catching the other two off-balance. Identifying the Asari that was giving orders earlier as the biggest threat, Aethyta slammed a Biotic-powered punch into her face. The force was enough that the Maiden's body flipped slightly around her arm before slamming into the parked hovercar behind her. She then continued on, flipping well over the vehicle before skidding to a halt a few dozen meters away. With only armor in between her fist and the Asari's organs, there was no chance she survived the impact.

Aethyta grimaced momentarily at the result. ' _Crap, I forgot that I have to hold back. I need to take these Maidens alive.'_

She turned to see the third Maiden leveling a gun at her. Rather than trying to slap it away, she used a _Throw_ to temporarily get her out of the picture.

As she turned to follow the _Throw_ 's trajectory, she saw that the first Asari was beginning to recover from being tripped. She did the first non-lethal thing that came to mind and performed a diving, Biotic-assisted, elbow drop right into her armored stomach. The blow might not have been enough to penetrate the armor, but the force did. The armor only cracked, but the Asari it was attached to _broke_. Aethyta kicked the Mercenary's gun away and knew she would be out of commission.

 _*Vroosh*_

She heard a noise behind her. Turning around, she found that the working Armored hovercar was taking off and immediately began running after it. ' _Shit! Right, there was 4 of them!'_

Aethyta might have considered jumping on, but she was already dealing with the other Maidens. By the time she brought up her shotgun, it was already far enough away that it wasn't worth shooting. She might have considered a _Charge_ or _Pull_ but she was almost spent. Having already held a car-sized _Barrier_ and the recent fighting, there was nothing she could do but watch it fly away.

' _Damnit.'_ She sighed. ' _Well at least I have the other two to interro-'_

At the sound of gunfire behind her, the former Mercenary Leader instinctively jumped for cover behind the other armored hovercar nearby. She turned to fight back against the source of a noise only to be shocked at the sight before her.

In the short time between _Throw_ ing the 3rd Asari and chasing the escaping car, the enemy had run up to her ally and unloaded her weapon into the 1st Asari's head. The Kinetic Barriers and Helmet did little to stop two-dozen rounds; one didn't need a doctor to know that missing a head wasn't going to be recoverable.

' _Damn it! I should have known that these cultist freaks were fanatical. I need to take her out before-'_

One look at the 3rd Asari, however, and Aethyta knew it was already too late. She had covered herself in Mines and Biotically lifted her headless comrade in front of her as a shield.

The Acolyte looked at the Matron with a wide-eyed, manic glare. "You won't take us alive _heathen_! Die!"

Before Aethyta could consider her options, a shot rang out and slammed into the Sisterhood follower. One of the mines went off, causing a chain reaction which almost ignited the entire city block they were on. The few civilians who were stupid enough to stick around at "a safe distance" all started fleeing the scene now.

From the wreckage of the Serrice hovercar, Enyala slowly walked her way towards Aethyta. Her visor was broken and her armor looked badly damaged, but she was otherwise no worse for wear. "Well that was a clusterfuck."

Aethyta snorted at that. ' _When I didn't see her, I was worried for a moment that Enyala might've died in that crash. Should've known… although now that I think about it…'_

Aethyta frowned. "Why didn't you help out earlier? I might've been able to take one of them alive if you had."

Enyala pointed to her broken visor. "And let them see my face? No way, _especially_ now that I know those nutjobs are willing to be _suicide bombers_. You looked like you had everything under control…" The Maiden looked a little sheepish after saying that. "Well, until everyone started dying at the end there. Now I know why you're called "The Red Terror of the Terminus." Goddess, they literally _killed themselves_ rather than fight you."

"That isn't what-" The Matron groaned at Enyala's coy grin. "Ha ha, very funny." She sighed. "Well, whatever the case, now we're back to square one. We got the Neural Interface Prototype but we still know next to nothing about the Sisterhood."

Enyala looked at the dead bodies. "Could we get any information from their Omni-Tools?"

The Matron shook her head. "No point even trying. They'd be even worse than the Serrice Mercenaries. I wouldn't be surprised if they were all factory-installed and given to them minutes before the deal went down. This happens every time we-"

She was cut off as sirens began to blare out in the distance. Aethyta's took off her helmet with her good hand, tossed it over to Enyala, rubbed the bridge of her nose, and sighed.

"Speaking of _annoying shit_ I always have to deal with…"

Enyala — despite being forcefully given her boss' helmet — looked distinctly more nervous than annoyed. "We never did this much damage to the city before. Are you sure that-"

"We'll be fine. Just get keep your own face covered and let me do the talking."

The Maiden seemed relieved at that and made herself scarce. The former Mercenary Captain just shook her head and walked sedately towards the group of Nos Astran police hovercars that had parked themselves in the distance.

A Turian officer yelled out as she came within a hundred meters of their vehicles. "Stop right there! Don't come any closer or we'll shoot! You are in violation-"

The officer was cut off as an Asari officer came up from behind him and practically slapped the pistol he was holding out of his hands. "Put that damn thing away!" She turned to the other officers. "That goes for all of you! Put your fucking guns down and stay here while I sort out this damn situation!"

Without looking back, the Asari strode boldly towards the former Mercenary Leader but took the time to look at the devastated city block around her on her approach. The Matron could see on her face look on in disgust at the property damage. There were half a dozen totaled hovercars, two building that would need major repair, another dozen structures that would need to be fixed for more minor damage and a whole 300 meters of walkway that would need to be rebuilt.

As she approached Aethyta, the Police Officer was furious. "By the Goddess, what the hell is _this_ now?!"

Aethyta immediately recognized the surly demeanor and put on her best "customer-facing" fake smile she could muster. "Ah, Superintendent Marrana, I'm surprised to see you here. I didn't know that Nos Astra worked you this hard or I would have laid out the welcome mat. Aren't you normally blackout drunk in some underground corporate party by now? It's almost midnight."

"I don't appreciate the tone-" She rubbed her hands in her face. "Aethyta… What is it this time? The "bar fights" you run on Binary Helix's tab never got this far out of hand before. I'll have you know that your _privileges_ only go so far."

"Oh ha ha, you're hysterical." Aethyta sent the Superintendent her Binary Helix information using her Omni-Tool, although she knew it was unnecessary considering their "familiar" relationship they had with each other in the past. "I'll have you know that I'm here on official business; although you already know that since _you're_ here rather than some corporate ass-kissing Captain."

Aethyta glanced around at the damage and winced slightly. ' _Nezi is going to be fucking furious if Binary Helix has to foot this bill.'_ The Matron straightened up. "You can blame the _Sisterhood_ for all this "collateral damage"."

Marrana rubbed the bridge of her nose. "You know Illium's stance on the Sisterhood: they don't exist and they never _will_ exist. You're really busting my quad with all the paperwork you're giving me. Would it be too much to ask doing your "official business" _without_ destroying Illium infrastructure or using government resources? The Traffic Control Center doesn't appreciate Binary Helix lawyers browbeating them into using their surveillance equipment outside of work hours either."

Aethyta rolled her eyes. "Oh don't start with that shit. Throw the dirt under the rug just like every other problem on Illium if you have to, but I wouldn't have been called to take care of this problem if _Illium Security_ hadn't already fucked up defending Binary Helix's corporate interests. I know you're probably going to embezzle half of the repair funds for this yourself-"

The Superintendent cut her off. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

The police commissioner made a dismissing gesture with one hand. "Just… just leave. The Illium Council will figure out who's footing the bill of this but don't expect Binary Helix won't find itself with some of the tab. I hope they finally nail your ass to the wall for this."

"We'll see…"

The red-armored Matron left the Police behind and went on her way, getting Enyala to follow her as she left the scene. As they walked together, Aethyta did little to hide the fury she had for the whole situation.

— AE —

 **Crashing Waves Biotic Training Gym, Nos Astra Wards District, Asari Corporate World: Illium, 01-04-2560 GS**

 **1 Hour Later**

As soon as they were confident that they were not being tailed, Enyala and Aethyta parted ways. The Matron had taken the long way back ensuring she was never too far away from Illium Police if she needed a diversion against some unknown foe. Because of this, she arrived back at her gym long after combat fatigue had set in. She practically threw off her armor before crashing face-first into her bed not a minute after walking inside.

She was exhausted.

It was past midnight now and she had not slept in 39 hours. Between teaching her Biotic trainees, preparing her getaway, spending the last night at a bar to gauge the reactions of her tails, getting the contact information for the job, getting Enyala on board or the mission, and finally pulling-off her escape from her observers, she had no time to rest. It was nothing the former Mercenary Leader hadn't faced before — sometimes she'd spent a week without sleep, using stims to stay awake — but she found it getting harder and harder to keep up with this continual "mission" for Binary Helix. She was really starting to feel her age.

' _This is getting a bit much, even for me. Even when I was fighting off Batarian Slavers I at least had some downtime. I'm not sure how much more I can do for Nezi… at this rate, the Sisterhood is going to take over Illium and our plans will have faced their biggest setback yet.'_

She caught herself subconsciously trying to tear the sheets of her bed apart and decided to find something to distract herself with. She rolled over to look up from her bed and over to a nightstand. A small picture sat there of two smiling Asari overlooking a lake. She took the holo-projector into her hands; the movement disturbing the image before it auto-stabilized. She tried to touching Benezia's face, but her fingers slipped through the holographic image.

' _Goddess… has it already been 10 years since Nezi and I actually did something together? …Well, something that wasn't work?'_

She put the picture back and lied back down on her bed. She looked up at the ceiling for a minute before finally setting up a secure channel on her Omni-Tool. Thankfully, it wasn't Shiala on the other end of the line this time.

The tranquil face of Benezia looked back at her with kind eyes. Her soft-blue skin shone like the Mass Effect beneath her brilliant yellow formal gown. Just seeing her lover's beautiful grace caused the tension in the tired Matron's shoulders to ease into the comforting folds of her mattress.

Despite centuries of hardening herself against the worst parts of the Galaxy, seeing her lover's face — something so unblemished, yet hardened by adversity — threatened to bring forth some hidden instinct within her. It was a combination of her Krogan father's need for dominance, her mother's need for love and both of their drives to protect what was _theirs_. It was merely the near infinite distance that separated Thessia and Illium them that kept Aethyta from leaping through the screen and grabbing her companion closely into her arms and never letting go.

Aethyta swallowed anxiously, uncertain what to say. Seemingly in response, her sweetheart's eyes soon filled with pity at the conflicted look that Aethyta was trying desperately hard not to show. The smile that came to Benezia's face seemed brittle and fake; it hurt Aethyta to see her like that.

"Aethyta, are you feeling well? You ordinarily call a day or more following an accomplished mission. Was the Serrice Operation not successful?"

Aethyta shook her head and smiled wearily. "Of course it was, don't you know who you're talking to? The Neural Interface has been recovered and-"

She had to force herself from showing any outward signs as she realized something. ' _Damn, and I left the Neural Interface in Enyala's weapon holster. Who knows if it even survived the hovercar crash earlier. If it didn't survive then-'_

She was torn from her thoughts when she realized that Benezia was trying to talk to her. "-thyta?"

"Sorry, I missed that. I was just distracted for a moment and-"

Benezia emphatically cut her off. "That is _entirely reasonable_ , I assure you. You have just returned from a lengthy assignation with the enemy." She smirked. "I know as thoroughly as yourself how demanding the Sisterhood can be. I imagine they must levy a hefty tax on your senses as they do my own."

Her best friend's smile faded. "I just fear for you; you know this." She leaned forwards and her casual smile morphed into a more determined look.

"You _are_ aware that you need not perform these tasks, correct? If your motive is merely to prove something to myself, then I have no desire to see you undergo such trials. Ever since our first meeting at the Republican Council, I knew you were someone that could be relied upon. You have always been an Asari of such philanthropy and zeal that-"

As much as Aethyta could listen forever to the Thessian aristocrat's dulcet eloquence — and she found it _seriously hot_ — she cut her lover off.

"Please, Nezi… don't. You don't need to try to make me feel better."

The Terminus Matron sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"I'm doing all of this because it's the _only_ part I can play in our plans. I can't play the political games like you and I can't lead a company or negotiate with anything but the end of a gun. If I didn't at least do at least this much, I would be utterly _useless_."

Her Thessian counterpart glared at her. "You are _not_ useless Aethyta! It was _you_ who orchestrated this conspiracy to begin with!"

Benezia leaned back in the seat she was in and sighed. "In all honesty, I was but a shallow shell before you intruded upon my ivory tower. Preceding our encounter, I merely did what was expected or — in rare circumstances — what was demanded by the retainers and sycophants I surrounded myself with. I looked down on others and belittled their "petty squabbles"; I never _once_ questioned the fruitlessness of _my own_ actions or the righteousness of the causes _I_ championed. I was the "Great-Grandaughter of Matriarch Argana" or the "Heiress to the T'Soni Republic" or even just an Asari "born to succeed". Those are all fine appellations, but they were afforded by circumstance and not by deed… you are living-proof that our flaws and blessings are not in our fate but in ourselves."

The two looked deeply at one another for a moment as Benezia grew quiet. Aethyta was the first to turn away. She wasn't certain why, but she felt guilty; she knew logically that Benezia was trying to remind her of how "amazing" she supposedly was, but it only seemed to make her wish she could comfort _her_ rather than the other way around.

' _If there's one thing I can't stand about this "partnership"... it's that I always seem to be the one bringing all the negativity into it. Benezia really is too good for me.'_

Benezia was the first to speak. "Would it be wrong to petition a surrender of our grand designs for a lifetime with you? I could not stand to lose my only love."

Aethyta let out a contented sigh at hearing her best friend's words. ' _Well, she sure drives a fucking hard bargain.'_

She shook her head. "I might be in a little more danger, but you work far harder than me-"

"I"

She rolled her eyes and chuckled at the interruption. "-far harder than _I._ Don't think I haven't noticed Binary Helix's stocks skyrocket since you became a shareholder so don't turn my "useless" comment back on _me_. We're in this together to the very end and we're each doing our best… I guess. Either way, I don't break my promises, no matter how… enticing it might be. I just wish there was some way to achieve our goal _and_ spend more time together…"

She glanced at the picture next to the bed. "Do you remember Nevos? Back before we took all of this so seriously, we had so much more free time."

Benezia looked away. "Are you thinking that we are making a mistake with this? I will be the first to admit that you are not the only one under a great deal of stress lately-"

"No!" Aethyta waved off the suggestion in a panic. "No, never… this… we agreed that this was more important. We can think of our relationship after our plans have started bearing fruit."

She rubbed her face and groaned in frustration. "It would be _nice_ to be together like that again — for a little while — but I couldn't stand our plan never getting accomplished. After I have finally settled this matter on Illium… maybe we could meet again on Nevos and just enjoy being with each other again. Seeing you again like this has brought up a lot of emotions in me."

Aethyta gave her lover a sly grin. "Emotions I have a hard time containing. When we meet again, I might just give you that child you've always wanted."

Benezia's face flushed as she worked out what was just said. Her next words game out as a stammer. "Y-y-you cannot just-just _say_ things like that you _mongrel_. Now you take back those words this instant or-"

"I love you." Aethyta cut off with a cheesy grin. "I love you so much that when we meet again on Nevos, we are going to that lake again but I won't waste my time looking at the sea when I have far more interesting… _cerulean sights_ to observe."

Somehow the flush expanded. "What are you-"

Aethyta took a deep breath and surprised herself by not stuttering. "I will bond with you on that beach and you will be mine… and I will be yours… foever."

Benezia's mouth worked up and down for a few seconds but no words came out. It was the first time Aethyta had ever seen the lover of her life genuinely speechless before and she took some pride in being the one to do it.

Benezia gave her a big smile in spite of her flushed face. "I… I would like that."

They spoke for over an hour after that, but Aethyta hardly remembered a word. She looked relaxed and happy on the outside, but on the inside her heart raced. While she meant the words she said — and she wouldn't _dare_ take those words back — she hadn't meant to make such a serious step in their relationship so soon. While she never considered what she had with Benezia to be a short-term thing, she had never taken a relationship this seriously before.

' _I've bonded plenty of times before and even had a few children of my own but… this a lot more important than that. If things go bad, it won't just be simple to just leave her like I've done before.'_

She looked on at her smiling lover and couldn't help but give a strained smile back. ' _What did I just_ _ **do**_ _?!'_

— AE —

 **Sisterhood Headquarters, ?, 01-04-2560 GS  
** _Perspective - Secretive Elder of the Illium Sisterhood - ? - Asari Matriarch - ? Years Old_

"…that is the end of my report." Her lieutenant concluded the sentence with a tiny bow of her head.

The Elder's gold-trimmed black robes flowed with her movement as she peered down from behind a mask to appraise the Matron bowing before her. Sitting at the base of the Elder Matriarch's elevated throne, the dark-blue-skinned Matron wore a sophisticated version of the yellow-and-black armor of the Sisterhood. The lieutenant waited for her leader's judgement and orders with what looked like composure and reverence.

' _Only the unobservant would think that… no, I can see those subtle twitches in her hands. As expected, she is desperately holding back her typically **violent** rage.'_ The Elder sat back, satisfied with her assessment. ' _She still needs at least a hundred years before she'll truly begin to mask her emotions… well, she's still a young Matron after all.'_

Moving on from that, the Elder digested the news of the Serrice Operation's failure.

"So the new recruits failed… unsurprising. We had high hopes for Captain Erana, but she was a little too zealotous. But enough of those disappointments. Aethyta's "plus-one"; do we have an identity to go with that grey armor?"

Her lieutenant frowned and crossed her arms in front of her.

"No of course not. Our front-line "investigators" are all too _incompetent_ to track even a _known_ agent like Aethyta, yet alone an _unknown_ one. By the time I gained access to the Illium Surveillance Network, Aethyta and her Thessian conspirators had already scrubbed the system."

Rather than being upset, the Elder was merely annoyed. The Lieutenant had already proven her worth with stealing the prototype from Binary Helix to begin with; it was useless to get angry at her. This matter was yet another in a long list of reasons to purge the entire investigation division of her organization for their constant blunders.

' _I would have no means of replacing the Investigative Division except with more of the same. While I would love to hire more efficient subordinates into the organization — the Sisterhood's coffers are more than able to accommodate some quality Mercenaries — there is a price. The secrecy of the Sisterhood demands absolute loyalty but it is clear to anyone with a brain that efficient individuals are often ambitious and disloyal; especially in criminal enterprise. While my acolytes are all fools, they are genuinely devoted to the Sisterhood's cause… something I cannot say about the Lieutenant.'_

The Elder had trained her lieutenant — almost from birth — to help her lead the Sisterhood. It would take her centuries to train another. The lessons she instilled in her pupil had taken grasp exceptionally well; too well it seemed. While her lieutenant was someone on par with the best Biotics in the Galaxy and a capable tactician and logistics expert, she was also ambitious, sadistic and had a callous disregard for those around her. The Matriarch was having greater and greater difficulty keeping her ambition and sadism checked and knew that it was only the fact that she kept her true identity a secret from her and the fact that the Matriarch was a more powerful biotic that kept her "child" from usurping her position. In spite of her century-long preparations, she had still come to blows with her a number of times when some acolytes were discovered horrifically tortured under her hand.

While the Elder had little genuine care for the peons below her, she was no fool. The Sisterhood of Dilinaga was built upon a foundation of loyalty and secrecy. She needed to keep _some_ semblance of kindness towards her lessers or her organization would come crashing around her.

It was a recurring dynamic between the two factions: while the Thessians had the advantage of their elite agents and the backing of the Thessian Republics, the Sisterhood had deep roots on Illium and was still a complete mystery to all but a chosen few. While this lead to a multitude of failures, those "victories" by the Thessians were pyrrhic at best. The Serrice Operation was no exception. The Sisterhood had ample time to reverse-engineer much of the Binary Helix Prototype's design. It was only a matter of time before she would win this little "conspiracy game" of theirs.

The older Asari Matriarch looked down on her subordinate who was now glaring from the long wait in between speaking. The lieutenant's patience was wearing thin.

' _I've been toying with her a little too long it seems..'_

"One of the squad members managed to escape. That is no small feat against such odds. Have her privileges revoked for now, but keep her assigned to missions. Going forward We will keep a closer eye on her. We trust you can handle that?"

The Matron nodded, raising her head and looking at the Elder with an bloodthirsty grin.

"I'll do so immediately. She'll fall in line, I can promise that."

She shook her head.

"No. Observation only and only discipline _We_ would approve of. We will not have this "Wasea" end up like those _toys_ of yours."

Her Lieutenant scowled, but gave no protest. While the Sisterhood Elder was confident her subordinate wasn't going to defy her, she cupped her chin in thought. She knew from experience that the Matron would only do what she was told if she gave the sadistic bitch a bone to sink her rabid teeth into.

"As for the operation, track down the leak and dispose of the loose ends. We assume that operational security of the mission was maintained?"

The Matron nodded without any obvious emotion; it seemed her temper had been sated for now.

"Only a limited number were aware of the Op, but that includes a few people from Serrice Council. What should I do if it was one of their people that caused the leak? They-"

The Elder waved her hand and the younger Asari stopped speaking.

"- are irrelevant. Take care of the loose ends _regardless_ of where they come from. We will deal with the backlash from Serrice if it comes to that. We are sure they will be _grateful_ for us rooting out such insubordination. Do keep Us informed of how high the leak goes. It would be unfortunate if there was still such disloyalty after all We have done for them."

The Matrons bloodthirsty grin was back.

"Understood."

The Matron turned to leave but the Matriarch gestured for her to halt with a hand.

"One more thing. That orphan we had been looking into. You are certain she was there as well?"

The Matron shrugged.

"Probably. She had taken out the warehouse cameras, but the closed-circuit one we installed remained undetected and was salvaged a few hours ago. The video recordings we recovered don't lie; an Asari child was definitely there last night and took the Serrice Mercenaries' Omni-Tools. I haven't read her file or looked at her picture myself, but I doubt many other Asari children would be near the warehouse at that time of night but the target."

' _But why would the orphan go there herself? Even if Aethyta knows of our interest in her, she wouldn't have risked her element of surprise on some awkward attempt at bait we would not be ready to take. There have been hundreds of more desirable opportunities before now. Is the orphan not already within Aethyta's inner circle? No… perhaps not.'_

"Did the orphan and Aethyta ever meet during the operation?"

The Matron shook her head.

"We're very confident that she did not. We never had eyes on Aethyta outside the warehouse, but the orphan was far easier to track as the Thessians did not scrub her records from the Illium Surveillance System. I cannot confirm if they ever communicated, but they did not meet face-to-face yesterday."

The Elder smiled for the first time since the meeting began. ' _For the Thessians not to remove her signature from the System… that is decisive evidence.'_

"Then she has yet to decide on her place in this "Game" we are playing. That orphan doesn't know it, but she has the key to unraveling an uncomfortably large part of Our conspiracy. She has proven to be a far more stubborn thorn in Our side than she has any right to be… but there may be a way for Us to use her to Our advantage."

The Elder tapped a finger against her chair's armrest. "Her rogue actions in uncovering Aethyta's secrets make it clear that the orphan is suspicious of our enemy. Her ability to track Aethyta makes it clear that she has a great deal of knowledge on their inner circle. We need that knowledge."

"And if she doesn't comply?"

The Elder waved dismissively at the air.

"Regardless of her compliance, she needs to be taken care of. In either case, torture her and eliminate her. We have been hesitant to take care of this situation because of Aethyta's apparent backing of the child, but that caution ends now. It is clear to anyone with a brain that the orphan's relationship with the Thessian Conspiracy only goes so far. There is no reason to hold back, especially if we can take her out before she has the opportunity to use her knowledge."

Her lieutenant saluted. "At once, Elder."

The Matron turned heel and marched out the door. The Matriarch knew even without seeing the Matron's face that her Lieutenant's sadism would be plainly visible for the world to see.

 _'I almost pity the child, to be the focus of that **perversion** … but that is the price of crossing me.'_

The Matriarch wordlessly took out a bottle of 2354 Gold-Label _Elasa_ with practiced ease and poured herself a glass. She savored the bittersweet alcohol with a wry grin.

' _One thing is certain though. With my pupil Jona Sedaris managing this, I know the situation will take care of itself soon…'_

— AE —

 **Codex Entry - Videos: Aethyta's 1st Address to the Asari Republican Council  
** _Video Log transcription of the 13488th session of the Asari Republican Council, 2501 GS_

[A large number of Asari are seated on the traditional stone benches circle a central open area. The camera's video feed is also embedded with text from multiple online forums commenting on the events unfolding. At the edges of the camera's view are a number of other cameras and crowds of Asari huddling amongst a number of outer pillars which support the Republican Council Building's roof. In all, there are thousands of Asari.]

[Matron Benezia T'Soni, great-granddaughter of Matriarch Argana T'Soni who co-founded the Siari religion, finishes her speech. As she speaks, she paces the stage and gesticulates.]

"…and so, my friends and allies, we must look to our nature — the racial character that defines us as a species — for our path ahead. The Turian's nature is characterized by their Honor and Duty; the Salarian's by Guile and Intelligence; the Batarian's have their Obedience and Pride and so on. It is not speciesism for a government to focus on one's strengths and play down one's weaknesses, but rather one of its essential roles. Even the Republic does so —following the path of Balance and Patience — but this only limits us.

"So I call upon the Republic today: do not to shy away from our _true_ natures! We are beings composed of many attributes, but that does not make us balanced. We are creatures possessed of long lives, but that need not make us patient. These natures are only a part of us because we allow it, but we can revoke them if we _demand_ it! That is our true nature: one of change and progress; one of emotion and determination! Do not let yourselves be patient when action is needed! Do not let yourself be balanced when an issue demands that you take a side! Do not let the role of the Asari be delegated to but a footnote of history when it is the prominence and wisdom of the Asari that is history's greatest hallmark! Thank you and may the Way of The Consciousness guide you."

[The Asari applaud as Benezia leaves the stage. Cheers both in the room and on digital forums praise the speech. The Council Moderator takes the stage.]

"Thank you for your wonderful oration."

[The Council Moderator waits for the audience to quiet down.]

"Now, the next candidate for this evening's Council is a name that has become infamous in Terminus Space: Aethyta, the Red Terror."

[The crowd yells jeers and boos. The Moderator raises her hands above her head for silence.]

"Her exploits are not being critiqued today, but rather her voice. Despite a long history as a Bounty Hunter, Aethtya has recently taken to inciting political activism in a number of Maidens. Due to this recent popularity, she has reached such a threshold that the sponsors of today's event think it wise to have her voice heard."

[Numerous boos and insults are heard from the crowd. On the forum, numerous posts condemn Aethyta with text such as "Get this criminal out of here!" and "Is the Council so bought that they allow Terminus Warlords now?!".]

"I remind the Council to keep dissent controlled until after the speech is over."

[The crowd still boos, but insults thrown is lessened. After a few moments, the crowd is quiet again.]

"Without further ado, I present Matron Aethtya."

[An Asari wearing red armor walks to the stage. Boos and insults intensify again.]

[Many writers on the digital forum demand for her to be taken from the stage for coming armed. A small minority defend her saying that she is not carrying any weapons.]

[Aethyta waits for the crowd's jeers to lessen and clears her throat.]

"I want to first thank the previous speaker. 13 speakers have spoken before this Council today, yet only _one_ held any semblance of the wisdom and good sense the Asari are supposedly known for. Only one speaker spoke of the change this nation needs. The rest spoke words commonly heard in the high-tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. They were beautiful words full of flowery prose or poetic and metaphorical language sprinkled into the rhetoric. Voices demanding "more funding for the arts" and "enrichment of Asari culture". Voices calling for "the development of foreign exchange" and "longer development times for Maidens".

"Well sometimes the waters roll in under a grim horizon full of raging storms. This voice is one calling out from that hurricane telling those speakers they're full of shit!"

[Yelling and jeers come from the audience. Soon, the voices settle down. Comments on the forum range between having the Matron removed to praising her for her honest tone.]

"This Republic has ignored _innumerable_ indicators of the dark clouds gathering on the horizon. I'm here today to say that the challenges we must overcome are not mere preparations against some vague, far-off crisis. There are serious and systemic problems that exists _today_ and they must be dealt with _now_.

"The Republic claims to be at peace, but it is a false peace; one filled with violence and death. Its economy is crippled by greed and irresponsibility at all levels. Its industry is plagued by plutocratic corporate meddling and nepotism. Hundreds of millions of Asari cannot find work and millions more are _enslaved_. Our brethren in the Terminus go without basic medical care or food. More find themselves in an endless cycle of drugs, violence and sex they cannot escape from.

"Ask yourselves why all these speakers today need to reaffirm the greatness of the Asari Republic? Why do they feel the need to remind you all of something that should be self-evident, something _intrinsic_ to the state of a powerful nation like ours? The answer lies in that greatness is not something given; it is _earned_ and the Republic has failed to earn that status.

"A Great Nation would not abandon our colony on Esan to the Hegemony, whose inhabitants' only crime was to be born in the wrong place. We have the largest economy in the Galaxy. Just this year, we completed construction of the largest Dreadnought in the Galaxy. Yet despite having such insurmountable advantages, we keep peace with the Hegemony. I was on the ground fighting the losing war when their "Pirate Fleet" attacked. I saw first-hand the unspeakable horrors inflicted on the civilians. Horrors that I _know_ are perpetrated even now.

"A Great Nation would not abandon the Drell to _extinction_. I was at the Galactic Conference eight years ago _pleading_ with the Republic to give aid, shelter and transport to the billions facing death on their homeworld. Again, this 'Great Nation' did nothing with its immense resources. Instead the Illiuminated Primacy of the Hanar — the smallest Council government, both in economy and population — saved them from death. The fucking _Primacy_!

"And these are just raindrops in a large pond. For while the history of the Republic is long, the list of these events transpiring on its shores is longer. Not a single Asari lifetime has passed without a Great War. Not a single century goes by without great and terrible upheaval which threatens the values each one of us holds dead: Our Freedom, Our Sovereignty, Our Way-of-Life. Yet not a single day, not a single minute, not a single _second_ passes without demands for frivolous pandering to constituents. More parks instead of food. Less taxes instead of freedom.

"But I am not here to demand tribute for the lives lost and the damage done in the past. That is for those less fortunate than me; those Asari and Drell whose lives have been up-ended because of our indifference and apathy. No, I am not here as a call to arms; although we desperately need them. I am not here as a call to battle against the injustices I want to correct; for not all share the same opinion as I. I am here to call everyone here today to forge together a grand and galactic alliance of Asari to ensure the survival of our species and the people we each hold dear in our lives.

"I petition for the creation of an Emergency Measures Fund which can be drawn upon in these times of crisis. I plead for the creation of an organization which has the autonomy and authority to use this funding to save and protect the lives and interests of the Republic. I beg for the Political Will to do what is right for all the people outside this Idyllic Utopia that cry out in anger and fear for something better."

[Without a departing word, Aethyta returns to her seat amidst jeers and boos. The crowd is more quiet than before. There are many people on the digital forums condemning the Matron for her alleged acts of piracy and violence in the past.]

[While only barely visible in the camera, it appears that Benezia leans towards Aethyta and says something to her.]


End file.
